Comments on: Sweatshop Economics Must Not Continue

By: Roxy

Roxy — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:25:41 +0000

Blackladder claimed that “global poverty and inequality has declined significantly over recent decades,” a misleading statement based on using GDP to measure standard of living.

More money flowing into an economy does not always translate to better living— in many “developping” countries, there are growing gaps between the rich and poor, and an unhealthy dependency on bigger economies (and corporations) for jobs and products (such as the US.) Self-sustainability, more options and consumer choice ease away poverty— not more money. The increase in money is often artificial, as any sweatshop laborer in LA will tell you (most of the money goes on increasing rent and product-prices, which remain high in developping areas due to lack of competition.)

In short, boycotting sweatshops directly might not work, but reducing our reliance on them does. Otherwise, we are feeding into a global dependency.

By: Tim Shipe

Tim Shipe — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:18:51 +0000

I just checked out Jim Keady’s stuff- he’s the real deal folks- he has walked the walk, made real-life sacrifices, put in the time and mileage to find out the truth- and he’s Catholic- I’m going to pick this guy’s brain and heart to find out more- to take more responsibility for this issue of sweatshop labor- I want to take this thing far and beyond the normative ideological pissing contest- that means finding sources that have ground level information that is trustworthy. People who give up lucrative careers because something smells rotten in Greece- these type of guys grab my attention. I would recommend that the defenders of sweatshop economics take a look at Jim Keady’s stuff as well because this debate ain’t goin’ away just yet!

By: restrainedradical

restrainedradical — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:38:34 +0000

Wow. The famous Jim Keady chimes in, albeit with a sales pitch.

By: Jim Keady

Jim Keady — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:53:41 +0000

Behind the Swoosh from Jim Keady on Vimeo.

By: Jim Keady

Jim Keady — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:52:36 +0000

I think your students (and anyone else interested in the sweatshop issue) might enjoy checking out http://www.teamsweat.org. Team Sweat is an international coalition that I founded to fight against Nike’s sweatshop abuses.

I am a Catholic activist and former professional athlete and I have been fighting for 12 years on the front lines in solidarity (a key theme in Catholic Social Teaching) with the factory workers that produce for Nike.

How did I get involved in this work? It all started as a research paper for a grad class I was taking while pursuing my masters degree in theology. The paper was titled:

“Nike and Catholic Social Teaching: A Challenge to the Christian Mission at St. John’s University.”

If you’re interested in reading it, drop me a line at jim@educatingforjustice.org.

Peace, Jim Keady

By: Duke

Duke — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:03:20 +0000

Chip,
I understand the conditions in China. It makes me feel very conflicted, frankly.

I’ll have to tell my family I’m going down to the meat “boutique” ..classier than what we call it. Meat markets -as we call them here- cater to deer hunters and farmers. No one cares about the organic, hormone free etc stuff around here too much. Organic chickens here are called free range and only means raised the way grandma used to. (Free to peck and scratch the way God intended.)

Who knows what it will be like in another decade? Maybe the $ollar Store will again be a 5 & 10 cent Store like in the 1960′s. Cheaper products and competition going the way it is.

Elaine,
It would be a challenge to buy products from everywhere but China. I would rather WATCH someone else do that on a Reality Show and learn from them. Sounds like an interesting book to read. Maybe the library will have it. Thanks for the suggestion.