Abstract This paper examines the economic motives to the passage of free trade agreements in which trade barriers have been reduced and the demand for lowwagelabor has increased. As a result, many domestic jobs have been sent overseas while American workers have been displaced. This paper delves into both sides of the labor dispute in which workers argue that the practice of outsourcing is unethical while companies claim the practice is both economical and vital to compete in the global market. This paper examines various solutions to solve the ongoing conflict including implementing a reform system offered by Senator Kerry and detailed in this report. This paper also contains a chart which compares the laborwages in India and America.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Story of a Displaced Worker
American Companies that Use Overseas Labor The Growth of Free Trade and the Affects on Domestic Employment
The Economic Impact of Global Outsourcing
The Practicalities of Outsourcing to Positions Overseas
How Global Outsourcing Affects Various Parties
Societal Impact
Proposed Solutions
References
From the Paper "Foreign workers benefit from global outsourcing because they enjoy economic prosperity. For example, since Indian firms only interview at the top 40 universities, a 2003 report by the Indian Technology Trade Association predicted falling demand for professional services by as many as 235,000. However, global outsourcing contracts from companies like the United States have led to the mass hiring of recent Indian college graduates. Their salary is twenty to thirty percent higher than prevailing wages. Such industries that have grown tremendously over the years include: intellectual technology, research and development, telecom, banking, diagnostic, pharmaceuticals, and automotive. Since more disposable income has been created, retail has also grown tremendously. Retail stores such as Tommy Hilfiger and Wal-Mart are expected to open a number of chains within the next several years. These stores will employ more Indians and increase consumer spending."
Abstract This paper addresses the question of whether free trade with countries with lowwages harms American workers. It offers different perspectives, as well as an economic perspective relating to comparative and absolute advantage.
From the Paper "The globalization of manufacturing has led to a massive re distribution of work around the world. One question being asked repeatedly is this: Does international trade with low-wage countries such as China and India steal American jobs and cost American workers higher wages and a higher standard of living? Most economists think international trade is not guilty of forcing wages down, citing concepts such as comparative and absolute advantage and differences in productivity to explain why trade..."
Tags: International trade, free trade, lowwages, comparative advantage, absolute advantage, job loss, displacement, government intervention, protectionism, outline.
Abstract This paper describes the problem of child labor and looks at the countries where it is most often practiced. The paper describes the horrible working and living conditions that these children are subjected to and looks at how some multinational companies take advantage of the cheap labor provided by child laborers instead of taking a moral stand against the problem.
From the Paper "Child labor is one of the worst social problems that exist in modern society (Yan, 2002). The term child labor brings images of exploited and uncared children. In the many areas that child labor exists, Indonesia is one that has an especially large percentage of children working at a young age. Government statistics reveal that 2.08 million children between the ages of 10-14 works in Indonesia are employed at dangerous places. Among these children, half work full time. The amount of work and hours these children have are the same as adults. Many children work under hazardous conditions as scavengers, garbage pickers and fishing platforms. For obvious reasons, this is one of the greatest labor issues faced by the country."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the issue of low-income workers, said to be - victims of growing prosperity in the USA. The paper reviews Barbara Ehrenreich's book 'Nickel and Dimed' which discusses this subject. According to the paper, Ehrenreich's makes a convincing case against America's self-proclaimed democratic status when it calls the country a "dictatorship" where low-wage workers "dwell in a place that is neither free nor in any way democratic".
From the Paper "In response to severe workplace abuses witnessed by immigrants at the turn of the 20th century prompted the federal government to take some serious steps. This included the passing of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). This and other applicable regulations were meant to ensure healthy working conditions and better wages for workers. However over the years, several violations of the provisions of FLSA have surfaced including the violations connected with record keeping. Section 11a of the legislation requires employers to maintain a record of wages, hours and other conditions at the workplace or factories. These records serve as an important tool for checking if any violations of FLSA took place and to ensure that FLSA is properly followed. However the reasons violations of record keeping are rampant is because of a lack of monetary penalties in case of violation. "
Abstract This paper examines the contraversy surrounding the minimum wage which was implemented in 1938 when Theodore Roosevelt enacted the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to protect those who were being abused by the system. It provides a breakdown of the arguments for and against minimum wage increases such as that raising the minimum wage simply cuts off and eliminates low-paying jobs. It concludes with a discussion of the effect of the minimum wage on the economy and labor markets and a look to the future.
From the Paper "As stated in an earlier statistic, a person working full time does not make enough to live. Indeed full-time wages fall well below the poverty line. This issue correlate with welfare. The question often arises among those who are on welfare as to why they should work when working equates to a cut in pay. When people make more money on welfare which is designed to help those who are at the bottom of the economic barrel, it's obvious that minimum wage increases are not only important, but essential to the well being of the nation and the nation's economy."
This paper examines the questionable labor practices and sub-standard working conditions in various Asian countries that produce the Nike Corporation's products.
Abstract This paper discusses the various investigations by different sources into rumored unfair labor practices by sports equipment manufacturer Nike. This paper details the results of the investigations which revealed the same pattern of problems in various Nike production plants in Asia. The writer of this paper compares Nike's labor practices to those of other factories in Asia. This paper also contains strategic solutions to improving the current working conditions of the laborers employed in these same plants.
Outline
Introduction
Working Conditions
Long Working Hours
"Wages May Be Low, But People Want These Jobs"
Evaluation
Bibliography
From the Paper "It is true that workers in shoe factories in Indonesia enjoy conditions which are better than those in many other industries, and for some, better than those at home in the village. And the jobs are sought after. But what this means is that, while things may be bad in these factories, they are even worse elsewhere - especially for the unemployed. For despite the increase in the number of factory jobs in Indonesia, unemployment among 20 to 24 years old is still very high. The people who work in these factories have not, as the quote above implies, been drawn away from subsistence agriculture by better incomes in manufacturing."
Abstract The paper explores the growing gap between the lowest and highest wages in the United States since the 1970s. In the paper's first chapter, the writer presents the development of wage trends in the U.S. according to various dimensions. In the paper's second chapter, the writer offers possible explanations for the process by exploring the factors that affect low, middle, and high-wage workers differently. In the conclusion, the writer shows the necessity of continuously updating the research for this will enable the state policymakers to improve wage gaps and level income distribution in the country. The paper includes a list of definitions, graphs and tables.
From the Paper "A rising tide lifts all boats. In the speech of the US President John F. Kennedy, the phrase meant that economic growth lifts all problems - both social and political. During the next decades, few would argue that when the economy is growing, all are satisfied. But in the 21st century, the validity of this doctrine is questioned.
"In 2007, American economy grew up by 4.8%1. Such a speed is much lower than those of the world growth leaders of the last decade, China and India, and those of the post Soviet block states, lower than in the African countries that started growing recently. And still, America is growing almost twice as fast as most of other developed countries2. At the same time, according to the social polls, most Americans think that their economic position is worsening. And this is an objective, not subjective reality."
Abstract The writer notes that the correlation between Eastern European late coming immigrants to the US of the late 19th and early 20th century and that of newly freed blacks during reconstruction is frequently made by social scientists and others. The writer discusses that the treatment of newly freed blacks and especially Irish immigrants was similar, as they were both seen as unending sources of lowwagelabor to fuel the industrial revolution in the new United States. The writer then compares books that discuss each of the two cultures, as they were subjugated and disenfranchised from social and official rights and opportunities. The writer also discusses how Noel Ignatieve, in his work, 'How the Irish Became White', looks at the issue of the grey areas of the social and political definition of "white" as it applied to new immigrants, and in particular the Irish, while in 'The Wages of Whiteness' David Roediger dissects the same issues as they applied to blacks in the US as well as others who were considered, not "white" in the culture. The writer concludes that the two works agree on many points, not the least of which is that for the Irish, and other eastern European immigrants making the choice to be identified and included may have been a strong personal challenge, as ideals from their home (and especially Ireland) were strongly aligned with abolition and the destruction of unbalanced and unfair labor situations, all of which dominated America.
From the Paper "Roediger on the other hand begins his work describing the introduction of Irish Americans to causes that revolved around the abolition of slavery. He does this by describing the influence of an Irish political and social hero, who was an ardent abolitionist and how he and his followers attempted to persuade Irish American's to come out against slavery and support causes that would abolish it.
"One manner in which these two works can be compared is through analyzing the thesis of each. Though there are clearly more messages in these full length works each author set about trying to discuss main ideas revolving around the definition of "whiteness." As the title suggests The Wages of Whiteness seeks to look at race, in part within the context of labor ..."
Abstract This paper explains that the Goodwill Industries International is a network of more than 200 hundred community-based organizations in over twenty nations whose mission is to provide education, job training and career services for individuals with disabilities or are welfare recipients, low-wage workers, and other job seekers. The author points out that JACQUES Initiative of the University of Maryland is a pilot program supporting HIV and AIDs patients, especially assistance in taking their daily medications. The paper presents a proposal outline, as requested by the University of Maryland and the JACQUES Initiative, for the Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake to develop a feasible process that can help JACQUES Initiative patients prepare for, gain and maintain employment.
Table of Contents
Background
Introduction
Funding and Taxes
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake
JACQUES Initiative
Business Problem
Strategic Workforce Imperatives
Organizational Readiness
Organizational Workforce Needs
Labor Market Conditions
Recruitment
Retention
Training
Workforce Pool
Strategic Relationships
Human Resource Development
Workforce Development Plan
Conclusion
From the Paper "The local chapter is the Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake. This chapter is a documented 501(C) (3) not-for-profit agency whose mission is to provide career development, employment, and related social services that aim to assist people with special needs. A 501(c) (3) is a type of corporation that has been recognized by the federal government as an organization whose general purpose is educational, religious or charitable. As is the case of Goodwill, many not-for-profit corporations have extremely large budgets yet still rely on a level of public support over and above the revenues generated. "Since donations typically come by the carload, a ton may just be one ton of an understatement. In order to keep the 12,000-square-foot retail store full, Goodwill Industries depends 100 percent on these donations." "
Tags: feasible, disabilities, low-wage, funding, HIV
Abstract In this context, it is explained how the lines between production and reproduction are blurred. The changing dynamics of the new economic system, which spans the entire globe, uses the dynamics of the family to produce commodity as well as reproduce labor to produce commodity. This essay will look furthermore at what factors went into the incorporation of women in the paid labor force in the Post-War period in Canada and how women are used by capitalism not just to reproduce labor, but also to provide low-wagelabor on a large scale.
Abstract This paper looks at the deplorable labor conditions that existed during the Industrial Revolution and the labor unions that were organized in response to those conditions. The paper looks at the economic depression, dangerous working conditions, and lowwages that created a crisis between workers and management Also examined are some of the tactics used by both sides in an effort to gain the upper hand and the eventual resolution of the conflict.
From the Paper "The new industrial labor introduced workers and businesses alike to a new world--literally. Workers who were used to planning their days and jobs around the rising and setting sun, were now adjusting to working by the clock. Workers also had to adjust to being paid by the hour and also had to adjust to the pace of their work being set by machinery. Economic depressions and dangerous working conditions coupled with low wages created a crisis that workers and management alike had to face and deal with. This crisis would not come easily nor would it come painlessly, but the industrial revolution could not be stopped and it was up to man to work with the system and create something that would work on both sides of the assembly line."
Abstract The paper relates that the surge in the Canadian job market does reflect many of the factors evident in the labor market of the United States. There is growth in some industries to include finance, professional fields, public administration and natural resource jobs. Yet, the paper shows how in many other lowwage jobs there have been significant deceases in employment. Furthermore, while it is evident that full time workers are gaining positions across Canada, there are significant decreases in the number of part time positions available throughout all industries.
Abstract This paper examines the public policy implications of minimum wage laws and to a lesser extent living-wage laws (with the understanding that the two are philosophically linked to each other). The author writes, for those of us just now entering the labor force, it would be unthinkable to contemplate the working world without the presence of a minimum wage law. The paper provides a brief history of labor law and public policy in the United States. The paper includes graphs and charts.
From the Paper "The minimum wage does not seem to be one of those causes over which people become sufficiently impassioned to protest in the streets. But that is in large measure only because when people are protesting in the streets they tend to call for economic fairness or distributive justice, and both of these concepts are connected to the idea of a minimum wage or its newer and more radical cousin, the living wage."
Abstract This paper is a critical review of Barbara Ehrenreich's book, "Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America". It discusses Ehrenreich's account of her undercover experience as a non-skilled, low-wage worker, and the challenge presented in the book to minimum wage legislation and its perceived benefits. Ehrenreich's interesting assertion that low-wage workers represent the biggest, most philanthropic section of society is also discussed and explained.
From the Paper "Low-wage earners are probably one of the most neglected sections of the American workforce. While minimum wage is a highly controversial subject and often sparks hot discussions in social and political circles, no one is really interested in the lives of the real recipients of this legislation. When an increase is made in minimum wage, the government and others are more concerned about the reaction of the employers instead of the response of the low wage section. This says a great deal about social discrimination and division that prevails in our society and which severely hurts the cause of unskilled workers."
Abstract This paper discusses the history of the federal minimum wage, and the "living wage movement," along with the differences between the minimum wage and living wage and the reasons why some economists are changing the way they think about market wages and their effect on the supply and demand of labor in the United States. The paper also describes several other options that some economists believe to be safer ways in which to shrink the nation's increasing level of working people living in poverty.
Outline:
The Federal Minimum Wage The Living Wage Movement
Living Wages and Other Alternatives
Conclusion
From the Paper "The idea of a living wage has led to what some economists are calling the "living wage movement," which is said to have started in Baltimore, Maryland in 1994, spearheaded by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), with support from several labor and religious organizations. At that time, the city of Baltimore increased the base pay of employees contracted by the city from $4.25 per hour, which was the current federal minimum wage, to $6.10 per hour. (Gertner, 2006). The passage of the Baltimore living wage ordinance in 1994 inspired the development of other living wage coalitions and since 1996, over 140 cities throughout the U.S. have enacted living wage laws and many more living wage campaigns are underway. (Fulmer, n.d.)."
