Abstract

Sweatshops Behind the Labels

According to the author, several leading apparel manufacturers which promote themselves as socially responsible, also farm out some of their sewing and cutting to sweatshops that break labor laws. In their drive for low-cost labor their behavior goes beyond irresponsibility and in some cases it means garment workers do not get paid. The Department of Labor raided a San Francisco, California garment shop that works on contract for an apparel manufacturer, Espirit and owed its workers $127,000 in back wages. Department of Labor and Industries has threatened to enforce the hot goods provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. This allows the government to halt the shipment of goods out of state if a contractor violates child labor, minimum wage or overtime laws.