Disney & Sweatshop Workers

[SmileyJoyz]

I don't want to start any fires here, I just thought that the Disboard community might like to know about this. I have no ties to the group mentioned in this newsbrief, nor do I consider myself to be a politically-charged person. It is part of a weekly newsletter I get as an employee and I find the facts they state to be very disturbing and thought that I should share them with the rest of you:

Loyola to host Bangladesh Workers Tour
On Friday, Oct. 4, Loyola will host the Bangladesh Workers Tour that will be in Chicago on a nationwide tour to kick off the Campaign for the Abolition of Child Labor and Sweatshop Abuses. The tour is organized by Loyola alum Charlie Kernaghan, executive director of the National Labor Committee for Worker and Human Rights and a catalyst in the founding of United Students Against Sweatshops.

The public is invited to attend the free presentation at 12:30 p.m., in the Mullady Theater, Centennial Forum, LSC. As part of the presentation, two young Bangladesh women will discuss how they sewed Disney garments 15 hours a day, seven days a week, while being paid just 5 cents for every $17.99 shirt they sewed. The workers were beaten, deprived of overtime pay and denied their legal maternity leave and benefits.

This event is supported by a contribution from the Arrupe-King Fund and co-sponsored by Loyola Students Against Sweatshops, the Higher Education Student Association, the Center for Faith and Mission, the Center for Ethics and Social Justice, University Ministry and student affairs. For more information, contact Jennifer Haworth, Ph.D., associate professor, School of Education, at 5-6358 or at jhawort@orion.it.luc.edu, or Russ Plywaczynski, Loyola Students Against Sweatshops, at 773-381-1447 or at plyruss@aol.com.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

While it wouldn't surprise me if these were Disney garments ordered by DIS they could just as easily be Disney knockoffs.

 

[wdwguide]

Here is a link to the Disney Manufacturer CoC for reference.

 

[SmileyJoyz]

I'm not implying that anyone here knowingly has bought or distributed the said products. I'm sure everyone here is conscientious enough to never do so willingly.

Wdwguide...again, I am not connected to, nor have I even ever gone to a meeting of the organizers of this rally. However, just because Disney has a posted work ethic doesn't mean it's followed everywhere in the world. We can see that happening in our own country with all these big corporate scandals. While I do not want to believe it's true, I'm also not going to dismiss it simply because Disney projects this image of a wholesome company.

 

[RoutemanDan]

Has to be knockoffs.I have never seen a Disney shirt with anything sewn on for under 25 bucks.

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by SmileyJoyz
Wdwguide...again, I am not connected to, nor have I even ever gone to a meeting of the organizers of this rally. However, just because Disney has a posted work ethic doesn't mean it's followed everywhere in the world. We can see that happening in our own country with all these big corporate scandals. While I do not want to believe it's true, I'm also not going to dismiss it simply because Disney projects this image of a wholesome company.

I would be the last person to disagree with you - Disney is better at bending the truth than any other company I know. I just threw in that link as a "related reference document"; I did not intend to take a stand on the issue.

BTW, speaking of t-shirts - I finally got me free ABC t-shirt from Get Happy... with ABC on Sunday

 

[Bob O]

Im not going to get upset over the rantings of a leftist group!!! And if the people dont like the working conditions if true then let them get another job more to their liking!! Lets the workers complain to their government rather then get a all expenses paid vacation to USA, because if they wouldnt give the answers the group sponsoring the forum wanted they wouldnt be here and somebody else would to spew their leftist agenda!! Just part and parcel that all business is bad!!

 

[SmileyJoyz]

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by SmileyJoyz
As part of the presentation, two young Bangladesh women will discuss how they sewed Disney garments 15 hours a day, seven days a week, while being paid just 5 cents for every $17.99 shirt they sewed. The workers were beaten, deprived of overtime pay and denied their legal maternity leave and benefits.
[/B]

This is the kind of thing that makes me crazy. While I will wholeheartedly agree that no one should work under conditions like that, how ridiculous is it of organizations like this one to stand there and assume that because the garments carry Disney characters that Disney must have knowingly set up shop in Bangladesh and told people to beat their employees?

Groups like this prey off the Disney name (or KMart or any other big, notable American company) because they know that they will get their issue in the paper if they say it was DISNEY making the shirts. If they left the word "Disney" out of that sentence, the acts would be just as bad, but the publicity level isn't there. Remember the French farmers that were protesting back in '92? They brought all their tractors and trucks to the front gates of Disneyland Paris and blocked the way so that guests couldn't get in. Big story ... hit all the papers. Made all the nightly newscasts. Did the farmers have a beef with Disney? No. They were mad at the government. So why were they there? One farmer said, "Because if we keep people from going into Disneyland, it gets on the news."

Same thing here. Let's not just say that this type of treatment is bad, let's imply that Disney condones it, because then it'll get publicity. And what do people walk away from this meeting with ... Are they angry at the government of Bangladesh because they allow their citizens to be treated this way? Nope. They walk out mad at Disney. Which doesn't help the poor worker in the sweatshop. (Except maybe Disney pulls out of Bangladesh, taking the woman's job and leaving her without any income at all.)

The problem rests in a culture that allows people to be treated that way. [sorry ... end of rant]