#3995: Factory wages (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:drgill@cdinter.net

>
> There are those who defend this arrangement in the name of free trade and
> free enterprise.  There is not much freedom in it for the workers.  Of
course, if
> they don't like the work they can always starve.  That, plus the gross
> disproportion of the whole thing, is the obscenity.

WELL, i have finally found myself in agreement with Tom Driver!!!...:))

the assembly goods are probably shipped from the US or Italy, assembled at
low cost in Haiti, and then shipped back to the US or Italy, or
wherever.....all profits are kept in the country of origin, with none of
them helping Haiti at all...

"free trade" is supposed to, on paper, provide a "trickle down" effect for
an economy, but when the above arrangement prevails, it only means that some
segment of the population receives perhaps enough just to feed a
family.....it certainly in no way leads to real economic development, in
that there is no investment in the local economy,  plus, since all assembly
items are shipped in, there is no need for local manufacturers......

i should also imagine that the factory that Tom visited pays no taxes in
Haiti, provides no worker benefits, including compensation if accidents
occur, and probably pays no customs duties......

some have expressed, on this list, the attitude that "at least it provides
jobs"......well, yes, but if one looks down the road, one can easily see
that if this arrangement continues, real economic development will actually
be retarded, and not promoted...