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Sweatshop Working Conditions and Employee Welfare: Say It Ain’t Sew

Author

Listed:
  • J R Clark

    (The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 313 Fletcher Hall, Dept. 6106, 615 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598, USA.)

  • Benjamin Powell

    (Suffolk University, 8 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108, USA.)

Abstract

This study surveys workers at two firms accused of being sweatshops by the National Labor Committee. We find that the wages and working conditions are superior to the workers’ prior employment. The mix of compensation between wages and working conditions reflects employee preferences and employees found their conditions less satisfactory when a firm capitulated to activist demands.

Suggested Citation

  • J R Clark & Benjamin Powell, 2013. "Sweatshop Working Conditions and Employee Welfare: Say It Ain’t Sew," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 55(2), pages 343-357, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:55:y:2013:i:2:p:343-357
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benjamin Powell & David Skarbek, 2006. "Sweatshops and Third World Living Standards: Are the Jobs Worth the Sweat?," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 27(2), pages 263-274, April.
    2. David Skarbek & Emily Skarbek & Brian Skarbek & Erin Skarbek, 2012. "Sweatshops, Opportunity Costs, and Non-Monetary Compensation: Evidence from El Salvador," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(3), pages 539-561, July.
    3. Sollars, Gordon G. & Englander, Fred, 2007. "Sweatshops: Kant and Consequences," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 115-133, January.
    4. John Miller, 2003. "Why Economists Are Wrong About Sweatshops and the Antisweatshop Movement," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 93-122.
    5. Joshua Hall & Peter Leeson, 2007. "Good for the Goose, Bad for the Gander: International Labor Standards and Comparative Development," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 658-676, September.
    6. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2009. "The Effects of Multinational Production on Wages and Working Conditions in Developing Countries," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization And International Trade Policies, chapter 17, pages 623-687, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Ann Harrison & Jason Scorse, 2022. "Multinationals and Anti-Sweatshop Activism," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 13, pages 291-317, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Robert Pollin & Justine Burns & James Heintz, 2004. "Global apparel production and sweatshop labour: can raising retail prices finance living wages?," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(2), pages 153-171, March.
    9. Arnold, Denis G. & Bowie, Norman E., 2003. "Sweatshops and Respect for Persons," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 221-242, April.
    10. Arnold, Denis G. & Bowie, Norman E., 2007. "Respect for Workers in Global Supply Chains: Advancing the Debate Over Sweatshops," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 135-145, January.
    11. Zwolinski, Matt, 2007. "Sweatshops, Choice, and Exploitation," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(4), pages 689-727, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. András Miklós, 2019. "Exploiting Injustice in Mutually Beneficial Market Exchange: The Case of Sweatshop Labor," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 59-69, April.
    2. Caleb S. Fuller, 2019. "Is the market for digital privacy a failure?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 180(3), pages 353-381, September.
    3. Benjamin Powell, 2018. "Sweatshop Regulation: Tradeoffs and Welfare Judgements," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 29-36, August.

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