Brand Ethics v. The Hot Deal

[ladywaterwind]

I just watched a documentary on PBS about workers (for Panasonic and Sanyo) in Mexico and what the low cost of the product for American buyers costs the Mexican workers. Cliff notes on it is the workers get paid roughly US$11 a day, so about 60 some a week, and then have to deal with chemicals and toxins in their work environments, like lead, on top of that. Also, the factories for these companies wait for ANY amount of rain to fall and they release their contaminated water that goes down to the hill into the workers neighborhood streets, resulting in respiratory problems, birth defects like babies not being born with a brain, and the like.

 

Happened to notice that I have a Sanyo tv and right now I'm more than a little ashamed that I own it. Now my question for baord members here is knowing this information about these companies, or information on other companies that do this kind of thing, are you still willing to buy their product if it turns out to be a a really good deal this BF? Or, well, at any time. Cause I won't be buying another Sanyo or Panasonic item, it costs to much in lives for me to save the few dollars.

 

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/maquilapolis/about.html (Link to the doc.)

[Uberfemme]

Well, that's where we come from too. That's our history. My ancestors worked $3 a week jobs to give their children and grandchildren better opportunity. I am not where I am now because I worked particularly hard for it. People before me worked hard so that I would have the opportunity to go to college or have a good job. They endured all kinds of terrible work conditions (and eventually rallied to get things changed) so we wouldn't have to.

 

I struggle with the ethical issue of buying cheap goods. On one hand, I agree with you. OTOH, I know this is the only chance the world will give them to get out of poverty.

[drmad7]

I hate to say it, but yes, i will still buy the product. Its sad I know, but its the truth. If you follow any product you own back to the manufacturing process, I am sure you will find the same issues. At least made outside of the US anyway. I still buy my Nike shoes, my leather jackets, my toys from Communist China, and eat all the dead animals possible. The alternative is to be a vegetarian (skip the spinach) and wear fig leaves as you walk to work.

Or do as you are doing and boycott certain companies which have no concern for the welfare of their workers, which I suspect is 90% of the companies in the world. Including the one I work for, the Federal Government.

[kfinto65]

I look for the best deal and don't really worry how the product was made. What can I say? I like holding on to my money!