"Workers in Bondage"

Business Week, November 27, 2000, pp.146-160.

Synopsis:

Sweatshop practices by U.S. firms have long been the focus of the U.S. media and human right groups. This special issue reports Europe's sweatshops. Italian authorities have recently uncovered illegal sweatshops including those in 28 cities from Milan to Rome. Such sweatshops widespread throughout Europe are using forced immigrant laborers mainly from the Old Soviet bloc, China, India, Southeast Asia, and the Balkans. Under intense pressure to match global competition on prices, many small and midsize suppliers seem to rely on outsourcing production to such sweatshops. This special issue also explains why Europe's policymakers may be loath to confront the phenomenon of human trafficking and enslavement.

Full-text Article: http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_48/b3709036.htm

Text connection:

Chapter 2 "National Differences in Political Economy" (pp.69-70).

Return to This Week in Global News