Nike And Child Labor

“This is the main reason why targeted boycotts of the products of child labor turn out to be counterproductive (at least in the short term): they focus, in a limited geographical area, only on the effects of child labor—its products—but typically fail to investigate the structural reasons for the occurrence of child labor—namely, poverty.”

As such, it applied cultural relativism to justify the use of child labor, unsafe labor practices, and near slave labor in its factories. Since then, Nike has been a driving force to ensure fair labor practices across the apparel industry. In 1999, Nike was a key contributor to the establishment of the Fair Labor Association, an organization that is “…dedicated to protecting workers’ rights around the world” (Fair Labor Association, 2016). Today, Nike continues efforts to ensure that contract factories comply with its Code of Conduct to improve labor standards in overseas factories (Nike, 2016). Because of Nike’s efforts to expand and enforce social responsibility at its factories and given the lessons learned from its sordid past, it is unlikely that Nike would resort to any of the straw men fallacies. However, given the pressure by investors to expect solid returns, one hopes the company continues its altruistic social responsibility efforts while veering away from the Friedman Doctrine and its assertion that “… the only social responsibility of business is to increase profits” (Hill, 2011).

“Child workers work with heavy machinery and toxic material” according to John H. Cushman in the article Nike pledges to end child labor and apply US standards aboard. Many children have gotten sick lost limbs or even died in horrific and painful ways because of their working conditions. Every day when they go to work they risk losing an arm or even losing their life they are in no way safe. Additionally in some areas if children are not working hard enough they get physically punished. these are only a few of the many cruel ways child labor works.

Child labor is a serious problem that affects children from third-world countries all over the world. These children are exploited by multinational corporations ,for their cheap labor all over the world. People, then buy products that come at a cheaper price, from these multinational corporations.These children are often overworked and treated unfairly. People need to stop buying items from countries that endorse child labor.

Children who work in factories and sweatshops to make rugs or clothing do not receive the proper education that is necessary for them to advance their level of employment. This can lead them to a constant level of class where they do increase their profits and live uncomfortable and unfortunate lifestyles. These children are receiving very little if any education to produce items at very low wages in environments that are unenjoyable and unethical. The terrible working conditions which can consist of massive heat, large amount of infestation, or unsafe equipment can not only causes harm or illness, but can eventually lead to death. There are no children in the world who would want to work in an environment that can end their life at any given moment due to improper safety regulations. It is unfortunate that individuals who purchase the goods that these children produce such as cell phones, laptops, carpet, and clothing are unintentionally providing these children with their low wages of sub one dollar an hour. However this often occurs because of a lack of knowledge people have regarding child labor around the world. Also the endorsements that these major companies have by athletic programs at both the professional and collegiate levels such as the NBA and Washington State University reach such a large population of viewers that individuals feel it is good to buy these products. Unintentionally there are millions of supporters who buy sport jerseys and Samsung Galaxy phones who provide these companies with the money that they pay children, rather than working together to boycott them in order to damage their pockets. It is a lack of education and knowledge that several non-profit organizations are working on providing to not only the consumer but also to the children who are being affected worldwide. The

Unfortunately, the same factor that contributed to Nike’s exponential growth (low-cost labor and production) also contributed to hurting Nike’s public image as a leader in “athleticism, health and fitness, and innovative marketing and design” (Locke, 2002). Nike was criticized for unethical practices by their subcontractors, which included underpaid workers, poor working conditions, child labor, and abuse (Locke, 2002).

Child labor is a sigsignificant problem in developing. Countries across the globe(Dilascia,tracey m).one of the most oftern -cited examples of child labor abuse occurs in manufacturing industries(Dilacia, tracey m).one of the most frequently proposed solutions to the child labor problem is the imposition of economic(Dilacia tracey m ). Many international organizations as well a number of European counties oppose placing on countries that permit child labor( Dilacia tracey m).ultimately ,the problem of child labor will not truly be solved until the poverty( Dilacia tracey m).It is estimated that a staggering million child across the world are exploited child laborers(zoltan, melania barto ).while the u.s. often speaks against child labor and has federal and state laws punishing those who illegally exploited children in this country(zoltan, melania barton). In order to prevent child labor,the u.s. must impose economic santions on countries that continue to exploit children(zoltan ,melanina barton).For instance ,the worst forms of child labor convention 182, enacted in 1999 , was designed to prohibit the worst forms of child labor.( zoltan.

“A soul-searching debate is now coursing through the country: Child labor is universally condemned, but is it fair to multinationals to cut and run when incidents arise of children working?” writes David Montero in his article titled “Is Doing the Right Thing Wrong?” While child labor in the United States (U.S.) is not accepted, it still runs rampant in second and third world countries, which is why children often find their way into factories. When this happens people often boycott the companies where this is found, but boycotting is not the way to go. Just boycotting companies doesn’t do anything, and can often hurt the very children people are trying to help. Then there’s the actual legal workers, boycotting a company for having child labor has negative effects on the legal workers and can often derail needed progress that these second and third world countries desperately need. People often jump to boycott

The problem is enormous, but the trend, fortunately, is heading in the right direction. The overall growth of an economy is by no means the only factor, nor for that matter the most important factor, in the mitigation of child labor.

Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own but where subcontractors make products for Nike?

Children are need by their families to bring in some money. Without this money many families struggle. Described David Montero, “Is doing the right thing wrong” , Children's family have to bring in money to make it in this world. “Nevertheless, he and many others question Nike’s decision to leave, giving how many families may be losing their livelihood.” Without these jobs families can't bring in enough money. The children will struggle even more if they have no food and other everyday life essentials. When these children wake up every morning, they will feel better to know that they are going to work and help support their family than wake up and not have anything. These families can't afford for their kids to not work, they will be forced into a job with worse working conditions if they are laid off by

Currently there are 168 million child laborers in the world. More than half of them, 85 million, employed at hazardous jobs, according to the International Labour Organization. In the article “In Praise of Cheap Labor Bad jobs at bad wages are better than no jobs at all”, Paul Krugman Professor of economics at MIT, explains that child labor cannot just be wiped away like so many other distasteful practices. That it takes a perfect storm of economic success and low child labor numbers for a full transition to labor laws that ban it. Employers will agree to follow the law; similar to what happened in the U.S. in the 1930’s when Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. This Act established standards for the basic minimum wage and overtime pay. It restricts the hours that children under age 16 can work and forbids the employment of children under age 18 in certain jobs deemed too dangerous. Krugman believes that many developing countries are not at a point where they can support a full ban on child labor. He gives the example of countries like “Indonesia [who are,] still so poor that progress is measured in terms of how much the average person gets to eat” (Krugman 4). Professor of economics at Yale university, Christopher Udry, in his article “Child Labor” provides a definition of child labor as “ the sacrifice of the future welfare of the child in exchange for additional income” (243). The causes of Child labor are not as simple as cultural or economic reasons, and a

Nike has suffered attacks from a number of agencies and organizations throughout the world that claim that the workers who manufacture Nike shoes are denied the basic essentials of living—a fair wage and decent benefits. All

In the United States, child labor and sweatshops are illegal, and society frowns upon any business that exploits children in the production of goods. Though most would say that they would not support a company that uses child labor to produce its goods, almost everyone has, in fact, knowingly or unknowingly, supported these businesses in one way or another. Children are involved in the production of many of the everyday goods we import from overseas, including the manufacturing of clothes, shoes, toys, and sporting equipment, the farming of cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, and bananas, and the mining of coal, diamonds, and gold (The U.S. Dept. of Labor). Often, we are blinded to this fact.

Child labour in Pakistan may be common and arguably a necessary evil but it certainly does not give Nike the rights to break its own standards, practice child labour, and advertently break the law.