Response to Readings for 10/26

It is so disappointing to read about how American corporations, more specifically, athletic shoe producers, are responsible for the mistreatment of female workers and causing women to pit against each other. Not only are these companies exporting jobs from the United States, that women here could by employed by, but they are also exporting the jobs to countries where they know they can pay their female workers the bare minimum. It is unbelievable to think that women are getting paid less than $1 day for their hard work. Additionally the factory conditions are inhumane, and corporations like Nike sublease the factories so they are not responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the workers. After reading things like this, it’s no wonder that so many people around the world hate Americans. Here these companies are making poverty stricken women produce shoes that cost more than they make in several months. I found it really interesting to read that in some places women banned together to unionize and fight for better working conditions. And its even more surprising that they were success. In once case women were able to significantly increase their wages. Another point I found interesting was when they mentioned that in 1995 that Asian women tried to get the United Nations involved to regulate their working conditions and the treatment of women. I just recently read article that focused on the new foundation of a sector of the UN dedicated to women, called, “UN Women.” I have attached the link to the website. Maybe with the creation of this sector, women around the world will be able to gain greater global equality especially in the work place.