Get Connected: Sweatshops and Purchasing Power

Sweatshops

A sweatshop is a place of employment that has any one or more of the following working conditions:

• Workers don't have the right to freedom of association
• Excessively long working hours
• Child labour
• Unsafe working conditions exist
• Physical and mental abuse
• Workers who organize to improve conditions are fired - or worse
• Pregnant employees are fired
• Pay is docked if the product is not produced fast enough or is found to have flaws
• Wages are below a living wage

Purchasing Power

As individuals, consumers have a considerable impact on company practices and policies. There are many ways in which a person can get actively involved in promoting fair trade and ethical conduct by employers. These include:

• Raising awareness about sweatshops with co-workers, family, and friends
• Volunteering to assist the University with its training initiatives
• Encouraging purchasers on campus to abide by the U of G Code of Ethical Conduct
• Promoting and purchasing fair trade products

Through the U of G Code of Ethical Conduct for Suppliers and Subcontractors, the campus community is moving toward purchasing from employers who treat their employees in an ethical manner.