Why is sweatshops an issue

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What is a sweatshop? Search this exhibition. History of Sweatshops. What is a Sweatshop A sweatshop is more than just a metaphor for a lousy job.

Sweatshop by George Biddle. General Accounting Office, "In this era of concern for civility, decency, and family values, sweatshops are repugnant to our moral core. Sign up for Monthly E-newsletter. Some of us drink it straight from our faucet without a second thought. Others go to great lengths to buy enough jugs or bottles from the store to always have on hand.

Green America's website is sponsored by Green America members and. Help us meet our Matching Gift Challenge! What is a sweatshop and how bad is the problem? If something is made in the USA does that automatically mean it is sweatshop-free? Learn more about organizing a boycott ». Related News. Optimize Your Tap Water. Toxic Textiles Scorecard. The DOL defines a sweatshop as any factory that violates two or more labor laws.

This can include working conditions, wages and benefits, and child labor. Globally, the following industries commonly use sweatshops to cheaply produce goods for retailers:. In the United States, sweatshops are predominantly used in the garment industry: in , the DOL estimated that as many as 22, garment shops in the United States fit their definition of a sweatshop. This is primarily because these major cities have easy access to a large group of undocumented immigrants who may take a chance on any labor in order to make money for their families.

Sweatshops primarily exist in order to cut costs associated with production and manufacturing. One of the most common labor violations in domestic sweatshops is wage and benefits violations: many of these immigrants are underpaid and overworked, paid well below the minimum wage, and working long, double-digit shifts without any overtime pay.

Further, some of the most egregious sweatshops utilize human trafficking to employ cheap labor that essentially is paid slave wages. Cutting production costs allow retailers to sell products at either a higher profit margin or in higher quantities — allowing them to maximize profits for the benefit of their owners.