sweatshops - a feminist issue?

[steamedtreaclesponge]

I've been thinking a bit about sweatshops recently, after the recent thread on how it's more expensive to be a woman. I then saw this article in the Guardian today which points out that sweatshops (still used by most high street brands including GAP, M&S etc) are most definitely a gender issue - 76% of the workforce in the countries surveyed (Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka) are women, and as well as terrible working conditions and pathetic pay, they're also subjected, in some places, to mandatory pregnancy tests, sexual harassment and abuse.

I guess I'm wondering a) why this is not more of an issue - there was all that hooha about sweatshops a few years ago, why not now? And b) is there anything we can do to help? And c) where is a good place to buy clothes from that doesn't use sweatshops? At the bottom of the article it states that the government, in all their wisdom, have just cut funding to the International Labour Organisation, which aims to improve working conditions worldwide. Quelle surprise.

There is a campaign called 'No Sweat' (haven't done a handy link sorry), also a place called (I think) Ethical Clothing (sorry no link again)

STS, Howies don't use sweatshops. They also try to produce most clothes without spraying the cotton, which has a huge impact on the cotton pickers. The clothes are expensive, but they have a sale.

Ah, thanks MillyR. I'd forgotten about Howies - I do really love their clothes and I don't mind paying a bit more if it's ethically produced. I'd rather buy fewer clothes and make sure that the ones I do buy are ones I really like, too!

alice, thanks for those, I've found the No Sweat website (here) and it looks like a really good source for further information... I'd better get reading!

SGM, am with you on that one

I don't know. It's definately a human rights issue. It is a really hard problem to solve, given that:

1. Overall the growth of the global garment industry has been a good thing for workers -- Working in a garment factory is a step up (in economic and indepence terms) from subsistence farming for many women, wages are rising in China etc..workers and trade unions don't want people to stop buying clothes, and companies to disinvest.

2)15 years of consumer campaigns, trade union organising, goverment regulations and supply chain codes of conduct and audit systems by the likes of M&S, Gap and Nike working with the ILO etc have had some, but limited sucess in improving factory conditions.

3. A few committed consumers buying 'ethical brands' won't change working conditions for the vast majority of workers. The solution needs to be able to improve conditions for workers supplying Primark and Walmart etc...(...as well as those supplying Chinese and Brazillian consumers and other emerging markets...)

Can a femminist analysis provide a different solution?