In any business, the key to a profitable enterprise is to keep production costs low, and strive for maximum profits. So the contractors, knowing this, are in rigorous competition with each other, to keep wages as low as possible. The contractors, and in some cases the government, succeed by doing everything they can to prevent a workers movement, and deny the workers the most basic human rights. . .
Most of the discussion below of the economic and social conditions in developing economies will be based research on a book called "No Logo" by Naomi Klein (2000), reports from the National Labor Committee "Made in China: The Role of U.S. companies in denying Human and Worker's Rights" (May 2000), "Made In China: Behind the Label" (1998), "Lives Held Cheap in Bangladesh Sweatshops" by Barry Bearak (2001), and "One World Ready or Not" by William Greider. The Philippines is a country housing hundreds of sweatshops. Industrialization has displaced the population from rural areas, to cities. The population of the city of Rosario has swelled to 60, 000 and it is because of the export-processing zone (EPZ) called Cavite with approximately 207 factories. Cavite is gated from the rest of Rosario. (Klein p. 202) At the gates workers must show their ID cards to armed guards who patrol the perimeters. Inside, the factories manufacture everything from Nike, brand shoes, Gap pajamas, Old Navy jeans and IBM computer screens; and since the factories are all contracted the garments are produced side by side. (Klein p. 203-204).
What is equally important to what is being manufactured in Cavite, are the conditions of the working environment. Majority of the workers are young women, who work approximately 12 hours a day, seven days a week with an average income of $6 (Cdn) a day. (Klein p. 211) There are signs posted in the work areas saying, "Do not smile" "Do not talk" and "Do not listen to agitators or trouble makers" (Klein p.
