108 thoughts on “Blog #30 – Reform Workers’ Conditions”

1. Carly Yashinsky January 31, 2012 at 5:44 pm

   1.) I would definitely spend the extra money for and iPod if it was made in America even of it was $400 as long as the company’s profit wasn’t growing and all the extra cost went to the employees or the making of new factories. Here’s the way I see it, an iPod is a luxury. People who are buying these iPod have either saved up for a while or just have the money to spend on one. Either way an extra hundred dollars isn’t going to kill you, and if it will, then you might want to rethink spending your money on an iPod.
   I think that spending this extra money on an iPod is totally worth it. The extra money represents the better treatment of Apples employees and investing in America’s future, our future, and your children’s future. And eventually bringing the Apple factories to America will improve America’s economy which will in turn benefit the job market and peoples paycheck, which in an effect, will balance out the new high cost of the iPod.
   2.) I would do multiple things to force American companies to treat their workers better and bring jobs to America. Of course the first step would be to stop buying the products because continuing to buy their products would make the companies think that their customers are not serious when they say they want a change. The next step I would take would be to encourage others to stop buying these companies products as well. All the while creating pro America publicity to try and raise awareness that these companies need to bring their jobs back home. I think the most efficient way to bring about change is to make the problem EXTREMLY public. The more people are outraged and informed, the faster the word would spread and then sooner the change could come.
2. Sarah H. 2nd hour January 31, 2012 at 6:47 pm

   1. If Americans are being employed and workers are treated well, then I think it is worth the extra money. Especially if it is only 25%, then we should all be willing to do our part to help other people like us. Also by buying American goods we are employing workers and improving our economy at the same time, because the money stays in America. That way everyone wins. For the good of all Americans I would definitely be willing to pay the extra 25% for what were once foreign-made goods, and I think that all Americans should do the same. I would be willing to pay 25%, but probably not more than 50%. The only problem is that right now it is hard to find goods that are made in America. If more American companies paved the way then I think people would support them and other companies would follow, and ultimately we could pump up the economy and employ all our workers.
   2. If I knew that I would be making a difference then I would be willing to stop buying, and encourage others to stop buying certain products. I would do my best to encourage others to do the same, and inform people about the treatment of workers. If I knew that others were doing the same I might even send emails to the company president or a Congress person to encourage them to stop unethical treatment of workers. But I believe that unless ALL of a companies consumers boycotted it that my efforts would be without results. The purpose of a company is not to please its customers or workers but ultimately to make money. Money is the motivation behind everything a company does. In order to make and/or save money a company may cut wages and/or extend hours and mistreat workers without a second thought if they get money out of it.
3. Sam Edwards January 31, 2012 at 7:01 pm

   1. I would personally be okay with iPods being more expensive. If they were, I probably not have one since family wouldn’t be able to afford it. Also, the “forced” social interaction people would get from not having themselves focused on their own music and ignoring everyone else would have a positive effect on society, for people would get better social skills. Also, the fact that jobs would be kept here and not anywhere else might be very good for our economy; people would have money to spend if they were previously unemployed. My family would personally be willing to pay up to $75 more for a lowly iPod touch, which really aren’t important in the slightest. For those who support the opposite opinion, the lower price would keep the products available to poorer people but the jobs would still be out of the U.S. and the workers would still be treated like crap.

   2. Trying to protest against American companies is a bad idea. It is futile because there is a chance that the protest will backfire and cause the company to collapse on itself; nobody would be very happy if that happened. Also, there are American companies that export to other countries, so if their business collapses here, they could always relocate elsewhere. It is much harder for consumers to protest against a company than the company’s own workers. Admittedly, there is always the possibility that the workers go on strike, the workers are fired, and jobs are filled by the previously unemployed. With the economy as it is now, people are always looking for a way to get on their feet, and that almost always starts with a job of some sort. Thus pretty much whatever consumers do, it would be extremely hard to bring down a company.
4. Khalil Hall, PhD January 31, 2012 at 9:35 pm

   1.) I would personally be willing to pay more for the same products if I knew that they were being made by people who worked in civilized conditions. And I think that if the general public was aware of the atrocities committed by Foxconn and other companies like it, it would do the same, even if it did cost twice as much. Another thing to consider is that given the nature of electronics prices and an ultra competitive capitalist market is that while the products may cost that much more originally, I strongly believe that producers would find a way to make the same things for cheaper some way somehow. For example, when the new-age flat screen high definition televisions came out, they were much more expensive than they are now. I think that electronic production companies need to practice some humane decency and move their factories to American soil, or at least force companies like Foxconn to improve conditions for it working conditions. A 35 hour workday is completely unacceptable.

   2.) I will be the first to admit slight hypocrisy on the subject. While I think that the working conditions at companies like Foxconn is completely unacceptable, I would not be willing to not purchase the electronics that they make in order to make a stand against it. For one, I think that a loss in sales would only create worse conditions for workers, because companies would try and sell you more complex products for cheaper, in order to get your business back. I highly doubt that they would improve working conditions because they sold 200 less iPods than projected. I also feel that these electronics have become such a necessity in modern day life that it would be virtually impossible to not buy from the companies. I would, however, be willing to write to either the head s of the corporations of the United States Government to try and get my point across, because I think that just like the Trusts, the only way to bring down these unfair corporations is by forcing them to stop from a more powerful force, i.e. Washington.
5. Jeffrey Couger January 31, 2012 at 10:29 pm

   1. Although I believe that the way the workers are being treated is horrendous, I don’t stand by paying for a ridiculously high cost for one reason. Our economic system (Capitalism) solves this. At some point the American’s are going to know they need jobs, and they’ll know they need to be able to economically compete with the foreign producers. This will produce a fire of innovativeness that will lead to lower costs and more American jobs, because Capitalism is meant for the bettering of ALL people. There will be the same benefits without the higher cost. American’s won’t stand for unreasonable treatment, but will learn that they can’t expect unreasonably beneficial treatment either. We stand for basic rights, and would not stand for mistreatment of workers as a country. This said- American’s are smart enough to become innovative enough to compete in this system. Whether it is resource agreements, or other opportunities to gain a step in the production wars- I strongly disagree with just paying for the more expensive products- NOT because I like the mistreatment of workers, but because I believe that America is a country full of opportunity and innovativeness that just needs to be unleashed.

   2. I wouldn’t agree to any of this. As stated before, I strongly believe that the only way for Capitalism to work is for the consumer to buy the cheapest and most efficient product. This will help stimulate the American Economy because it will inspire our businesspeople to learn to compete- both for morality, and for business. Eventually the American Businesses will have to make a change, because it is not our job as the consumer to bail them out for a lack of innovativeness. As long as we resist the cheaper and more efficient product, we are setting our country back. There is no reason to learn or work hard if something is handed to you.
6. dominic gutierrez February 1, 2012 at 12:04 am

   1. We’ve discussed the idea of paying more for electronics if they are ethically made, especially here in America. But how much more would you be willing to pay? If the cheapest 8GB iPod Touch costs $200, would you be willing to pay 50% more at $300? What about 100% more at $400? I don’t where the Daily Show got its numbers from, but it said less than 25% which would make the iPod touch cost $250. Is the extra money worth knowing that not only are the workers treated better, but you are helping employ Americans? Why or why not?
   I would pay a little bit more if it was made in America. I disagree with the working conditions in china and don’t think its right to quote on quote work them to death, also with the low pay why work there. In America some companies are trying to stay alive because of the bad company and I can way they would want to make their products for cheaper and then sell them for more. But the way the other people are being treated they should bring them back to America. Not only would it look better and help our economy it gives jobs and the satisfaction of you buying American made products. So I would pay 25% more to know that I am getting American made and people are actual not being treated the way they are around the world to make American made products.

   2. What level of non-cooperation would you be willing to engage in to force American companies to treat their workers (or companies that make the parts for their computers/ electronics) better? Would you: stop buying the product? Encourage others to stop buying the product? Write letters / emails to the company president and / or Congress person to encourage them to stop this unethical treatment of workers? Inform your friends and family about the poor treatment of workers who make the products we use? Encourage others to join you in bringing these jobs back to America?
   Or, is this just a pointless exercise in futility and these companies won’t listen to its consumers? The companies will only listen to the bottom line and that’s making the bottom line = profit.
   I would engage on a higher level to force American companies to treat their workers better with good hours and pay with the other right they should receive. If they weren’t I would not buy from that companies and tell others about like friends and family. But on the other hand it wouldn’t be helping the works because then people wouldn’t be buying those companies products and it could get worse so I would think that they should go on strike or do something about to improve those conditions along with other problems. Some of my family now is not getting products from apple because of this insentient even though we all know it such a good company over that people would undermine those poor working conditions and such but my family notice and is taking account of that. Companies should know the rules and every person should be treated fairly to make a happy working environment to keep things moving.
7. Maxie L. 4th Hour February 1, 2012 at 10:05 pm

   1.) No, as the consumer in the current economy, I would never be willing to pay that much for an ipod, or any other electrical product. The economy is defiantly not at its best right now, and spending that much on an electrical device seems ridiculous. To be honest, I think companies like Apple charge too much as it is. It would be great if workers were treated better and more Americans were being employed, but it would also ruin the business of the product because it would go down in sales. I think that the product would go down in sales because less people would be able to purchase the products. People can barely afford products from Apple (etc,) as it is, and marking the products up 25% or 50% would only decrease the amount of people that can afford those products. If there was a way to make the factories and working conditions/pay better than it is currently in China or to bring the factories to America without marking up the prices, then that would be great. Increasing the amount of money for the products would not work, products such as ipods are already too expensive and just not worth $300 or $400.
   2.) In order to force American companies to treat their workers (or companies that make the parts for their computers/ electronics) better, I would be willing to stop buying the products (most are not needed as it is, such as fancy electric gadgets), write letters / emails to the company president and / or Congress person to encourage them to stop this unethical treatment of workers (although, I don’t think they will consider at all…), and inform my friends and family about the poor treatment of workers who make the products we use(I think that the segment on the Daily Show was a great attempt to make Americans aware of the harsh treatment and activity going on in China at the factories). I would do all of these things to help with problems in China at the factories, but I would not encourage others to stop buying the product, because that is completely their decision.
8. marie portes March 8, 2012 at 7:22 pm

   1. Well considering I don’t own any of these products and their prices really don’t affect me, I think it really shouldn’t be a question of basic human rights vs. prices are lower. What is happening with these workers is completely unjustifiable and it shouldn’t matter if people are willing to pay more. The frustration is simply not being able to do anything about it. The extra money is definietely worth knowing that the workers are treated better, if it even only be to soothe my conscience. The issue of raising the prices meaning that more americans will be employed is also very favorable, especially with the economy being as it is, it would be great for some more jobs to be made available.
   2. I mean, like I said earlier, I don’t think there’s much I can do unfortunately because this issue really isn’t something i’m in contact with and I have any control over. I’m not buying the product so I can’t exactly stop buying it. I think really the only tool I have in this situation is to inform other people and open people’s eyes to what’s happening. I’m sure just having more people aware of issue and aware of what is going on in these factories and with these workers would help a change come to pass. I’m not sure writting letter would do much really, I think Congress and company presidence and people that really can change this unethical treatment of workers would be much more impacted by something happening financially. If enough people were made aware and didn’t buy the product as well as spread the word, than not only would they have to make changes in order to get people to buy their products again but they’d have to fix the image people have of them.