An Ugly Side of Free Trade: Sweatshops in Jordan

The story of abusive sweatshops is familiar, but still haunting. Reports suggest that as quickly as retailers and critics improve conditions in one location, new factories and abuses emerge in other nations. Jordan is the center of attention for impoverished people desperate for work and new criticism. A report from the National Labor Committee, based in the US, points out that workers are routinely mistreated at about 25 percent of Jordan’s garment factories. Jordan has favored-trade relations with the US, stemming from the 1994 peace accord with Israel, and as a result, became a top draw for garment manufacturers. Foreign workers, many from Bangladesh, pay between $1000 and $3000 to work in Jordan. Workers allege that they have been coached to lie about treatment, including 20-hour workdays, docked payment and physical punishments. Factory managers often collect passports and documents from workers who arrive in Jordan for work, thus eliminating escape from what becomes a form of indentured servitude. Large US retailers, from Wal-Mart to Gap, sell clothing produced by such workers. Wal-Mart, after conducting its own independent investigations of Jordanian sweatshops, concludes that serious violations are prevalent and promises regular inspections. Factory owners deny wrongdoing, and Jordanian officials pledge to treat the violations seriously. Companies hesitate to withdraw business without warning, because factories can quickly relocate and continue to impose harsh conditions. – YaleGlobal