8928: Re: 8880: Clothing Assembly Industry in Haiti-Dorce comments (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 8/15/01 7:50:20 AM Central Daylight Time, Jean-Marie 
Florestal <sonice1953@yahoo.com writes:

>>In the late 70s and 80s, the industry was thriving
there. While this is issue is controversial with those
who questioned the low wages paid to the assembly
workers in Haiti, I presume the poor Haitians would
rather have the low paying jobs than no jobs at all.
To my knowledge, the industry has been moribund for
most of the 1990s, with the crippling blow given
during the embargo.<<


,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Poor Haitians should be happy to work their lives away,
doing backbreaking work (or ruining their hands and eyesight),
for too many hours, for too little compensation in conditions
I presume none of the gentle folk inhabiting Corbettland would
find tolerable for themselves.  But they are used to hopeless and
untenable conditions, aren't they?  And there IS compensation,
even though it is not enough to feed a family, but the factory lets 
them borrow money or buy from the company store on credit, that
never has a chance to be repaid, resulting in effectively enslaving
that worker indefinitely.  But this is a GOOD thing, no?  I mean if
it's good enough for Kathie Lee, it's good enough for us, right?  I mean
without US investment in the Haitian workforce, how would we get our
cheap clothing and sporting goods???  I for one say, let them eat cake.
Or is that the wrong revolution (I know I am revolted...)?

A note to those who can sleep at night thinking that poor Haitians
must be happy to work in US owned factories:  This is your answer
to the question,  "Why is the US so against Aristide?"  He wants to
allow union organizing for factory workers, including enforcing a still
very reasonable minimum wage and safe, clean working conditions 
and reasonable hours.  THIS is why the Republican Party in the guise
of the IRI is spending money to combat Aristide's presidency.  The 
army is no longer available to them to make their coup, so they do 
what they can the American way......they destroy it with propaganda.

Why is it such a fight to stand for the right thing??  Are we still slaves to
the cult of money?  Is money more important than people?   

Kathy Dorce~