Why We Need More than Anti-Sweatshop Activism

I am doing the Unthinkable, :0,

I am posting here, an article, from a rather 'left' site [yes, Union, probably more socialist-even communist] on the issue of Sweatshops. I know, I know, some of you will just be beside yourselves but Before you go off in a fury, do me a favor,

read the Article first. While I am NOT a 'socialist', been there and done that and I do NOT agree with many of their stands, [esp the lack of Women's Autonomy, the all boys club was a big Turn off for me why I got out of the far left]

I Do have to say, when it comes to exposing the TRUTH about Labor [women labor included] and the exploitation of AND the Complicated obstacles workers and communities face when Dealing or confronting these infrastructures they are some of The Best when it comes to Analysis of the problems.

So, readers for a Better Understanding of Why there are Sweatshops and Why it difficult in eradicating them And other forms of slavery, it sometimes is beneficial read those who spend their lives fighting for yes, worker rights. Because they do their research AND they talk person to person WITH those very workers who are fighting for rights we take for granted.

I am doing some research on women and labor/textiles and sewing, [including some from Biblical days and Christian women then and Textiles, oh Yes! I found some things, though I need to find a translation from French] I hope to be adding some PDF files here eventually so that readers can Educate themselves on the problem and the Historical influences of, and one thing you will notice is how Women, have at so Many times been at the Forefront of Change, in Worker's Rights. Why? Because its Usually women, who get exploited the most, feminization of Poverty.

We CAN NOT, I emphasize, CAN NOT, talk Any kind of Liberation for Women if the Economics FORCES THEM INTO STAYING WITH ABUSE. And ECONOMICS IS YES, A HUGE PART, IN HOW PATRIARCHY IS ENFORCED AND IS MAINTAINED. [regardless of our Faith this applies to ALL WOMEN].

Kid yourself not...therefore This issue is Very important, to All women. Because even secure Married Women, may find themselves one day, Widows [and usually that is the case] and their chances of living in Poverty, are very likely. In Economic downturns, this is even More likely,

and it is Why we ARE seeing an influx of the rise of Homeless Women with Children and Homeless Elderly in THIS country. So,

the article, I will post part here, and the rest, the link. I do NOT concur with the Solutions of the Parties per se, I lean more anarcho in that regard [but I do agree on many issues, some I do just not all, I am a Grass Roots person, don't do the whole government force garbage BUT the analysis is right on target--so, here goes]

Finding an Anti-Sweatshop Strategy That Works by Jeff Ballinger

That nearly twenty years of anti-sweatshop activism has come to naught is suggested by the cost breakdown of a $38 University of Connecticut hoodie that appeared in the Hartford Courant a couple of years ago: the workers received a mere 18 cents, while the university received $2.24 in licensing fees. (Mexican factory: profit, 70 cents; overhead, $2.12; material, $5.50–distributor [Champion]: overhead $5.10; profit $1.75–Seller [UCONN Co-Op]: overhead, $14.49; profit, $4.50). The workers’ share could hardly have been lower when the movement began.

Given the worldwide financial crisis, it is a safe bet that fighting sweatshop abuses here and abroad will not be a key policy undertaking for Barack Obama and his team. But this does not rule out a wide-ranging set of initiatives that would significantly empower workers. Tweaking our foreign assistance priorities, revising “democracy promotion,” and undertaking diplomacy from a community organizer’s perspective—these changes in U.S. policy would at least begin an assault on global sweatshop practices. And they are especially important as an antidote to the solipsism of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), wherein corporate “self-regulation” teams are rebranded as “activists” by lazy and compliant media. The new administration needs to connect with real labor activists, in Asia and Central America especially, and allow them to speak for themselves.

But first we need to collect information on sweatshop practices abroad and make it available to activists, who often can’t collect it themselves.

Read the rest here: http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/finding-an-anti-sweatshop-strategy-that-works/

Again, I am posting this for Informative ONLY---not for Policy, I believe that Women need to step up to the Plate and work to Free Women, Globally, as Autonomous, OUTSIDE OF POLITICS AND MALE DOMINATED MACHINERY, including IDEOLOGY. But for Understanding, I will be posting some informative articles here, as to What we are Up Against.

Peace, Love and Solidarity,

Jane