Are sportswear and garment factories really sweatshops?
If confronted many of the major supply factories they would probably deny that they’re sweatshops, as all are supposed to adhere to the codes of conduct of their clients. The problem is that in developing countries this is difficult to monitor so the codes are generally not enforced. And the sad fact is that many workers in the global sportswear industry are living in poverty even though they have paid jobs. The workers producing for companies like Nike, adidas, Puma, Asics, FILA, Mizuno, New Balance and Umbro, who are mostly young women (aged 17-24), often endure low wages and long hours in dangerous and hostile conditions. Many of these workers do not like describing their workplaces as “sweatshops”, because they think it makes them sound like victims. But these workers know their wages and conditions are unacceptably low and many of them organise protests to demand better wages and conditions, even though doing so can put their jobs at risk.
