RE: Chinese Slave Labor (was Re: say no to urban skydiving Re: AW: AuntiBehringer)

["Bernhard Wagner" <loopdelightml@nosuch.biz>]

I think this is a very relevant topic. Anyone should be encouraged to care
for how the tools they use are produced. And e.g. avoid using instruments
whose low price is only feasible by exploiting other human beings in the
production process.
If its discussion is to be led off list, it would be great to at least have
its findings posted back to LD.

thx
Bernhard

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Douglas Baldwin [mailto:coyotelk@optonline.net]
> Sent: Donnerstag, 20. Januar 2005 16:09
> To: Suit & Tie Guy; Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Subject: Chinese Slave Labor (was Re: say no to urban skydiving Re: AW:
> AuntiBehringer)
>
>
>     I know this is way off topic, and I'll accept e-mails privately 
>rather
> than fill up the LD group with this thread, but... Does anyone
> know how many
> of China's workers are in fact slaves and how many are willingly seeking
> factory work because it offers a step up from the feudal farming
> system they
> have suffered under for centuries? My sister-in-law works for a jewelry
> company with factories in Beijing and Seoul, she goes to these cities
> several times a year, and her perception of their conditions is that it's
> difficult - long days, spartan living conditions, low pay - but
> better than
> the feudal farming system that has existed for centuries in the
> rural areas.
> She tells me that the vast majority of workers come willingly to work
> because the possibility of saving up some money of their own spells 
>"hope"
> to these people who for centuries owned nothing.
>     My perception of the media and public voices who use the term "slave
> labor" is 1) They are people who are pissed that we are losing jobs to
> offshore labor, 2) They are right wing and often overtly fundamentalist
> Christian, and/or 3) They equate lower costs with lower quality.
>     I'd like to hear (off list) from those that might support the term
> "slave labor" with facts and as much direct experience as possible.
> Douglas Baldwin, coyote-at-large
> coyotelk@optonline.net
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Suit & Tie Guy" <erwill@suitandtieguy.com>
> To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 7:44 PM
> Subject: Re: say no to urban skydiving Re: AW: Aunti Behringer
>
>
> > On Jan 18, 2005, at 11:49 AM, mungenast@earthlink.net wrote:
> > > in China? If I am going to buy something made in a Chinese slave 
>labor
> > > facility, it is going to be something I can't get elsewhere, 
>something
> > > unique, like the Alesis ModFX series, or Behringer's
> >
> > considering how much Mackie stuff is made in China now i don't feel bad
> > about the idea of buying Uli Behringer's stuff.
> >
> > i wish there was that mackie ad which showed everyone at the factory
> > standing outside waving (i remember it from a few years ago), but
> > edited so the text ran "Why are these Mackie employees smiling with
> > pink slips in hand? Because we fired a hundred americans and moved
> > production to china to bring you LOW LOW PRICES!!!"
> >
> > ---
> > Eric Williamson
> > www.suitandtieguy.com
> >
>