Widely known as one of the world's richest companies, Apple has not managed to achieve this success without controversy, and one of the most serious criticisms has focused on Apple's suppliers' use of underage workers. While workers in the Southeast Asian markets where the suppliers originate are often younger than those in American factories, the chief allegation has been that Apple's demands to lower costs prevented suppliers from being able to pay fair wages. According to James Brusseau (n.d.), reporter Connie Guglielmo investigated the relationship between Apple's suppliers and its stock prices. Finding that during a period in which some of its suppliers employed children younger than fifteen, Apple's stock price increased more than one …show more content…
The argument for the use of underage workers is based on a realistic assessment of the economic struggles faced by many in Southeast Asia and its comparatively young workforce. The Economist magazine (2017) points out that Southeast Asia is home to a poor, young workforce that suffers from "low wages and underemployment". For child workers in these countries, the offer of employment with one of Apple's suppliers may be seen as significantly better than alternatives in terms of working conditions and wages. These young workers may have no opportunity to go to school regardless of their work status, and the money they earn may provide some food and comfort for their families which they would otherwise have to go without. Additionally, young workers may feel a sense of pride to provide this support, and the valuable skills they gain may help them to achieve a brighter future. This argument essentially values the economic well-being of the individual above all other …show more content…
In such cases, the child may be little more than a slave, experiencing long working hours, difficult conditions, and even abuse. Their status as children may mean that their rights under the law are limited with no recourse should the employer withold wages or make unreasonable demands. Despite the prestige of Apple's name, it is clear from Guglielmo's report that Apple has a limited system of inspections and little authority to guarantee that child workers are given fair treatment. In such circumstances the child may be separated from their families and any opportunity for education that may exist. The hard work and difficult environment may more seriously affect their health than adult workers, and their natural tendency to be curious about the world will likely be crushed, leading to potential mental health issues that adult workers may be less susceptible to. This argument places the greatest value on the innate value of a
Garside, Juliette. "Child labour uncovered in Apple's supply chain." The Guardian. The Guardian, 25 Jan 2013. Web. 7 Apr 2014. .
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve asked my parents for money for the movies or for the mall. Usually, they tell me to get a job or to be more responsible with the things I already have. The same thing is true for teens my age all around the world. What’s the solution, you may ask? One word, jobs. What would happen if the legal working age was changed from the average 16 years old to 13 years old?
Child labor has become an ongoing global concern for many years. The practice sweatshops in places such as South America and Asia are responsible for much of the manufactured goods people own today. While hundreds of organized unions and corporations look for answers to this unheal...
All of my life I have considered myself as a person who loves children. I enjoy playing with them, helping them, and just being around them. So when I first agreed with corporations who use child labor I shocked myself completely. After examining two articles; one “The Case for Sweatshops”, by David R. Henderson, and two “Sweatshops or a Shot at a Better Life”, by Cathy Young, I came to the conclusion that in some cases when young children work under proper conditions it can keep them out of the streets and be helpful to them and their families.
Throughout time children have worked myriad hours in hazardous workplaces in order to make a few cents to a few dollars. This is known as child labor, where children are risking their lives daily for money. Today child labor continues to exist all over the world and even in the United States where children pick fruits and vegetables in difficult conditions. According to the article, “What is Child Labor”; it states that roughly 215 million children around the world are working between the ages of 5 and 17 in harmful workplaces. Child labor continues to exist because many families live in poverty and with more working hands there is an increase in income. Other families take their children to work in the fields because they have no access to childcare and extra money is beneficial to buy basic needs. Although there are laws and regulations that protect children from child labor, stronger enforcement is required because child labor not only exploits children but also has detrimental effects on a child’s health, education, and the people of the nation.
The majority of Americans would be horrified to support a business that exploits the use of child labor to produce its goods. However, odds are we all supported these businesses the last time we went shopping. It be it a baseball for our child, diamond ring for our fiancés, or chocolate bar for our hunger it probability was made using child labor in Indonesia, South Africa, or Ivory Cost. The use of child labor is a major driver of the global economy in today's age of globalization where U.S. companies the likes of Nike, Reebok, or Wal-Marts have taken control of the market. These companies ought to stop using child labor to produce their goods.
... practice of harmful child labor obsolete. The institution of education is the most important aspect to building economies to a point where they may rise out of the child labor trap. Education must be gradually intra nationally and internationally be subsidized, while simultaneously providing some form of economic aid or reform to these countries that make it possible for the families in these poor countries in Asia and Africa to keep their child out of dangerous labor, and in school. What is in essence proposed, is a gradual effort of the international community.
We are often unaware or pick to disregard the problem of child labor in sweatshops. However, even though most people are not conscious of this, it is a reality that many children are deprived of their childhood and are enforced to work. It has been estimated by the International Labor Organization (2013) that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in emerging countries. More than half of these child laborers are hired in Asia, others work in Africa and Latin America mostly.
A survey done every four years says that there has been less child labor in countries such as India and Morocco than in the United States (Barta and others). Some companies overseas have strict policies against child labor; for example, a toy factory in China will not accept children for work because they feel children should not be forced to do hard labor for any amount of money. On the opposing side, in some places child labor is a huge problem such as Africa and parts of Asia. For example, in Bangladesh several under 18 workers were found working in Rana Plaza and a 15 year old worker died in a factory accident in May, according to Kate O’Keeffe of the Wall Street Journal. O’ Keeffe also writes, “There is concern that child labor will go for the worse rather than for better, especially if Western economies rebound stronger.”
Sowell argues that, “… in the United States, unemployment rates for younger workers are often 20 percent or higher, even when there is no recession.” These jobs pay low wages for a reason. So that teenagers have a base to start their life as an employee. If this continues than teenagers will never have the opportunity to gain experience to eventually get hired at a higher level job. It will be nearly impossible for future generations to find a job. Unemployed will lose many opportunities to earn a higher rate of pay in the
When child labor is examined, individuals and societies feel moral and emotional tugs. The Freudian super ego is appalled that, especially in the modern world, there would be such a preposterous issue. The Freudian id would rationalize numerous reasons, even justifications, of why child labor exists and would be necessary. Every corner of the earth has known this conflict to one degree or another. In the United States, the conflict is activated or denied with the purchase of an expensive sneaker. The child who is exploited on the other side of the world rarely receives a nod of concern for the slavery he endures. Countless items are similarly purchased with similar child working conditions. The children of note are under fifteen years of age and economically active. There are 120 million of these exploited human beings who work full time, often ten hours per day.
The next time when you are out on your shopping trip, chances you may have support a business that exploits children. It is very disturbing and heartbreaking to learn many children are chained to looms for 12 hours a day because families need to have their child bringing home a small amount of moneys. Child labor has always been a difficult subject to address, the topic have become much more complicated and prolific.
So I believe that the issue of child labour is not simple. As Unicef’s 1997 State of the World’s Children Report argued, children’s work needs to be seen as having two extremes. On one hand, there is the destructive or exploitative work and, on the other hand, there is beneficial work - promoting or enhancing children’s development without interfering with their schooling, recreation and rest. ‘And between these two poles are vast areas of work that need not negatively affect a child’s development.’ My firm belief is that there is a difference between child labour and child work and that in both cases the issue is whether or not the child is deliberately being exploited.
Child labour is an issue that has plagued society since the earliest of times. Despite measures taken by NGOs as well as the UN, child labour is still a prevalent problem in today’s society. Article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of a Child gives all children the right to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child 's education, or to be harmful to the child 's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.1 Child labour clearly violates this right as well as others found in the UDHR. When we fail to see this issue as a human rights violation children around the world are subjected to hard labour which interferes with education, reinforces
Youth unemployment is a global problem facing both developed and developing economies. The United Nations define youth unemployment as individuals between the age of 15 and 24 years not employed and actively seeking employment. Statistics only consider youths who have attained the required age of employment who are willing and able to work but without jobs. Unemployment rates raise concerns in all economies. However, the rate and trends vary from one country to another irrespective of the country’s development status. For instance, in Cuba, Sierra Leone and Germany, youth unemployment rates were below 10% as per the year (Petersen & Mortimer, 2011). Sierra Leone is a developing country while Germany is a developed country yet their youth unemployment rates are comparable. On the other hand, youth unemployment rates in South Africa, Armenia and Spain were above 50% as per the year 2010 (Petersen & Mortimer, 2011). In most countries, youth unemployment rate is more than double as compared to an unemployment rate in people above the age of 24 years. Canada is not an exemption as the youth unemployment rate is raising major concerns. In the recent years, issues of youth unemployment have dominated political debates and social forums. More and more youths are leaving institutions of higher learning to end up being jobless. A considerable proportion of the youths are doing jobs that are below their level of educations. Organizations are raising standards in jobs where jobs previously performed by high school leavers are being given to diploma and degree holders. Since 1966, general unemployment rate has averaged at 7.75%. As per April this year, the unemployment rate among the youths was 14.5%, w...