Iyanna Washington

3-11-2009

Outline for Final Speech

Sweatshops

Good Morning ladies and gentlemen. How many of you shop at The Gap, Old Navy,
Levi Straus, Victoria’s Secret, Ralph Lauren, Nike, American Eagle or Hanes? For the
most part, these brands aren’t necessarily cheap, right? Do you ever think about
who it is that makes them? Do you ever think about who its is behind the label that
reads Made In China? Do you ever think that maybe someone or a large amount of
people may be in dangerous situations when making your favorite jeans or that
colorful hoody you love so much?

My name is Iyanna Washington. I am a student here at the art institute and I will be
speaking to you today about sweatshops. I have been researching this subject for a
little over two months and would like to spread more awareness on this problem
that effects us all.

In my speech I will give background of sweatshops, where in the world they are
located, why we have sweatshops, the good and bad effects of sweatshops, how
you, the consumer can help them, and the companies already putting a stop to
sweatshops by producing no-sweatshop products.

The reason why we all have to put an end to these sweatshops is because these
workers are being takin advantage of. The workers labor rights also their human
rights are being abused.

If ever in my speech you have a question please write it down and I will be more
than happy to answer your question at the end.

A sweat shop is a factory where workers are forced to work with little to no pay.
Workers are also made to work long hours in terrible working conditions. According
to Charles S. Clark, a staff writer for CQ researcher, a weekly report on current
social issues, states that sweatshops are found generally in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America. Also that majority of sweatshops are clothing, sneaker, carpet, and sports
manufactures.

You may be asking yourself now, well, why do have sweatshops? Sweatshops are in
effect because consumers are demanding products from companies. The cost for
making the products are far more cheaper to make in other countries than in the
states. And in the oversea countries, they have fewer worker regulations as well.
According to Bob Herbert , a New York Times columnist, the founder of Nike made
4.5 billion dollars in 2002. Only paying the workers $2.20,not an hour, $2.20 a day.
Could you imagine trying to survive off of $2 a day?
With these fewer labor regulations, it makes the workers labor environment unsafe
and unfair. Those who are effected by these conditions are men, mostly women, but
also children. The international labor organization reports that 18 percent of children
are forced into child labor. Africa has 25 percent and Latin America with 7 percent.

Some thousand of people are dying due to critically abusive conditions. In 2002,
Timothy Ryan, a representative in south Asia for the American Federation of Labor
Organization wrote about a boy he had met. His name was Ji and was 12 years old.
Ji was actively working in a carpet manufacturing sweat shop. This 12 year old boy
was assassinated for trying to escape the workplace.

Ladies and gentlemen this abuse had got to stop! How would you feel if someone
killed your younger sibling for a companies profit? Yes I will admit that with the
reform of sweatshops, having it be the banning of sweatshop altogether, or the
forming of some kind of union, that our prices of product as the consumers will
increase. But of course we can’t afford expensive clothing, especially in today’s
economy. Not to worry for I have researched alternative companies that have fair
and safe worker conditions. And even better, they are all located in the San
Francisco and Bay Area regions. Stores like American Apparel, a line of shoes called
Tom’s(plus more).

I would like to close my presentation by asking that the next time you buy a cool
pair of jeans, or nice pair of sneakers, and you see the tag that says made in china,
think about the faces behind the labels. What if it were your family? What if it were
you? What if it were me? Thank you.

I can answer any questions if you have any.