Introduction
Most persons spend a considerable part of the lives at work; therefore, it is crucial to have a at ease environment. A good atmosphere for working promotes the well-being a person and satisfaction. I consider sweatshops are harmful to the workers because they do now not offer good working conditions. By definition, sweatshops are workshops or factories, particularly in the garb sector where workers work in bad conditions for many hours at low wages. The essay discusses that sweatshops have adverse effects on workers.
Adverse Effects of Sweatshops
1. Rude Supervisors and Abuse
Firstly, sweatshops are stated to have rude supervisors who abuse workers sexually and physically. Therefore, although people can work anywhere in the shop, they cannot avoid working below an abusive supervisor every day. As a result, they suffer psychologically and emotionally due to strict armed supervision as well as physical assault without legal protection when productivity is low. Also, employees are forced to spend many hours with no extra pay while other report cases of rape by their supervisors, but have to continue working to support their families.
2. Torturous Working Conditions
Secondly, work at a sweatshop is worse compared to other places of work. Although it is true that workers of sweatshop receive higher wages than the average pay of a citizen in the developing country, their jobs are torturous. When a job pays well than another, it does not mean it is better. Employees at these shops are usually exploited by working for long work days and are subjected unsafe practices and conditions. These acts are against the golden rule of treating someone the way one would one to be addressed (Bowie, Norman 17). Thus, employers should avoid exploiting workers because they would not want the same treatment done to them.
3. Minimal Ethical Standards
Thirdly, sweatshops have minimal ethical standards though they provide survival wages to employees. According to the philosophy of Categorical Imperative by Kant, people should handle rational being with dignity (Bowie, Norman 20). Although employees are used to by companies to earn profits, it is immoral to perceive workers as a means for returns. This statement implies that humans should not be used without considering they are rational, moral and free agents. However, sweatshops take advantage of the desperate workers and bad situations to challenge the autonomy of individuals without other better options.
4. Denial of Workers' Rights
Additionally, workers at sweatshops are also denied the power to create unions that can help demand better pay and working conditions. Those that try to form these unions are usually beaten, threatened or fired immediately. Another sweatshop also denies workers the freedom to access the outside world such as family members, law enforcement or labor advocates (Snyder 189). Those that provide shelter and food to employees are similar to concentration camps where people are congested in small houses with poor beds and little food.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, these sweatshops offer means of earning some income that can cater basic family needs. They also pay better salary compared to other jobs, although workers are overworked. Even with that said, I believe that sweatshops are harmful because they exploit and abuse people who have no other options. They also lead to physical, emotional and psychological issues related to the beatings, rape and verbal abuse (Snyder 189). Therefore, these companies should improve the working conditions as its increase the well-being of the workers and in turn increase productivity. Also, sweatshops should either give bonus or increase wages of workers extra hours. Also, they should hire supervisors who treat workers with dignity and respect.
Works Cited
Bowie, Norman E. Business ethics: A Kantian perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Snyder, Jeremy. "Exploitation and sweatshop labor: Perspectives and issues." Business Ethics Quarterly 20.02 (2010): 187-213.
