Walmart, along with many other mega corportations of America, such as Apple, are supplied by vendors and factories overseas. Overseas workers, as we have learned, are not always treated fairly and sometimes, they are treated quite abusively. Many labor boards and organizations such as the SEc try to contribute to the rightful act of ensuring that American companies are being supplied with products that come from equal and fair working facilities. However, we cannot always total ensure this. Also, people who treat their workers equal and fair often have higher expenses, and frankly, corporations are not always willing to pay for that.
The problem in this article is that Walmart is being asked to require a periodical statement from its suppliers reporting the working conditions of thier environment. The problem with that is, its not hard to lie on one of these phony statements. Walmart is also asked to send agents to interview workers, however, that is not always effective either.
Though Wal-Mart sometimes sends auditors to check on working conditions, “when the auditor goes to the factory, the worker is coached by the management to tell lies in front of the auditors — that they are being paid living wages, that they are not being harassed,” she said.
This mostly says it all. No matter how hard we try to enforce quality work environment overseas, without permenant agents in the facilities we can never be sure of what is going on. Also, the companies such as walmart are fearful to stress their suppliers too much. The suppliers could retaliate and not cooperate with the conditions and withdraw thier contracts, leaving shelves empty of many good selling products at walmart.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/business/31walmart.html
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