Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector

I remember one particularly bad factory in China. It produced outdoor tables, parasols, and gazebos, and the place was a mess. Work floors were so crowded with production materials that I could barely make my way from one end to the other. In one area, where metals were being chemically treated, workers squatted at the edge of steaming pools as if contemplating a sudden, final swim. The dormitories were filthy: the hallways were strewn with garbageâ€”orange peels, tea leavesâ€”and the only way for anyone to bathe was to fill a bucket with cold water. In a country where workers normally suppress their complaints for fear of getting fired, employees at this factory couldn’t resist telling us the truth. “We work so hard for so little pay,” said one middle-aged woman with undisguised anger. We could only guess how hardâ€”the place kept no time cards. Painted in large characters on the factory walls was a slogan: “If you don’t work hard today, look hard for work tomorrow.” Inspirational, in a way.

Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector - Washington Monthly, 2008 DOWNLOAD

21st Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons: ‘Confronting Demand: Tackling a root cause of trafficking in human beings’

News & AnalysisEvents

When: June 14, 2021 – June 16, 2021 all-day

Where: Online

21st Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons WHEN 14 June 2021, 14:00 – 16 June 2021, 16:30 WHERE Hofburg (Vienna, Austria) and via Zoom (upon registration) ORGANIZED BY OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating...

TAGS: Global Europe

2022 Tech Against Trafficking Accelerator Showcase

News & AnalysisEvents

When: May 10, 2022 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Since 2019, Tech Against Trafficking has helped advance and scale the work of anti-trafficking organizations with promising technology solutions through its flagship Accelerator Program. To celebrate the close of our second Accelerator, we are hosting a 2-hour virtual event where...

TAGS: Information and Communications Technology Global

Accelerating the Use of Technology to Combat Human Trafficking

News & AnalysisEvents

On 22-23 June, Tech Against Trafficking launched its second Accelerator program, welcoming Seattle Against Slavery and Unseen UK into the community. Both organizations have shown exceptional innovation and potential in their depl...Read More

TAGS: Information and Communications Technology Europe North America Global

THE ITSCI Laundromat: How a due diligence scheme appears to launder conflict minerals

News & Analysis

Minerals extracted by hand from the African Great Lakes region are in huge demand. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda produce nearly half the world’s coltan, the main ore of tantalum, as well as large amounts of tin and tungsten...Read More

TAGS: Due Diligence Extractives & Mining Africa