Labour Rights

Labour rights is a very broad issue; however, it can be boiled down to the protection and respect of human life in the workplace and the right to work itself. Some components of labour rights are the rights to job safety, collective bargaining, and equal pay for equal work.

Labour rights vary by country, however the International Labour Organization (ILO) provides universal standards and guidelines. The ILO, a part of the UN, aims to provide guidance and standards for labour practices around the world.

Wal-Mart and Wages

A Substantial Number of Wal-Mart Associates earn below the federal poverty line

· In 2008, the average full time Associate (34 hours per week) earns $10.84 hourly for an annual income of $19,165. That’s $2,000 below the Federal Poverty Line for a family of four.

· Last year, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott earned $29.7 million in total compensation, or 1,551 times the annual income of the average full time Wal-Mart Associate.

Wal-Mart Associates don’t earn enough to support a family

Wal-Mart wages are not “designed” to support a family

Wal-Mart can afford wage increases

Wal-Mart’s wages are lower than other retail wages

But no incentives to their employees...

The Issue: Nike is using child labor in production

Nike has been accused of using child labor in the production of its soccer balls in Pakistan. This case study will examine the claims and describe the industry and its impact on laborers and their working conditions. While Pakistan has laws against child labor and slavery, the government has taken very little action to combat it. Only a boycott by the United States and other nations will have any impact on slavery and child-based industries.

Nike "not just do it but Do it right."

This is the first time that Nike has had to face real questions about its labor practices abroad, the first time that it has felt a public-relations impact. At this point, that impact does not seem at all devastating. While in the short run Americans are generally horrified by the issue of child labor and has expressed concern over the working conditions in foreign factories, Nike should take immediate actions in order to provide remedy to all the activism it faces, otherwise it can prove devastating for the company's image in the long run. The basic truth about Nike is that its only real strength is its good name. Nike rules because of all the good things people associate with the company: sharp ads, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, little Penny, and Michael Jordan again. If "beaten workers" and "child labor" get added to that list, then Nike's greatest asset will be lost.

Now the burden is on the company both to do a better job of implementing company-wide global standards of conduct and also to improve its openness to the media. The more you hide, after all, the more people think you have something to hide. Every hand that goes up, hurts Nike in the public eye. And when you are a consumer company, that's the only eye that matters.

Consumers -- "Just don't do it."

Child Labour In Pakistan (Rizwan Arshad, Lahore)

Child Labour is an important and a serious global issue through which all and sundry countries of the world are directly or indirectly affected, but, it is very common in Latin America, Africa and Asia. According to some, in several Asian countries’ 1/10 manpower consists of child Labour. In India the number of children between the ages of 10-14 has crossed above 44 million, in Pakistan this number is from 8 to 10 million, in Bangladesh 8-12 million, in Brazil 7 million, whereas their number is 12 million in Nigeria.

Child Labour is a complex problem which demands a range of solutions. There is no better way to prevent child Labour than to make education compulsory. The West understood this a long time ago. Laws were enacted very early to secure continued education for working children; and now they have gone a step forward, and required completion of at least the preliminary education of the child before he or she starts work. The present government in Pakistan has made elementary education compulsory. Along with this, the government has distributed free books in primary schools so that parents, who cannot afford their children’s school expenses, send their children to schools. The major point is that this decision must be acted upon at all levels. There is strict need to stop child Labour in this country. Awareness must be raised and the attention of parents ought to be diverted to the education of their children.

Child Labour

Child Labor is one of the prominent factor of the world. A labor issue is a broad issue. God has given human beings the boom of wisdom and discretion to think upon the signs of the universe and to draw conclusions.Children's are like the flowers of the heaven. They are the most beautiful creation of God and the beauty of this world. Early in the morning when they wear beautiful clothes and look like little stars for the sake of knowledge. But there are also the children who cannot go to schools due to financial and any other reason and they only watch others to go to School. They wish to go but they can't because of pressure of their parents to work. Child labor is one of the major global issue. Most of the countries are affected by it. If the child labor is abolished from Pakistan then our country easily moves toward the development and prosperity. The small children on the signals if they study then most probably they may become the asset for our country. Child Labor is a complex problem which demands a range of solutions. There is no better way to prevent child Labor than to make education compulsory. So that everyone should study and help in the development of their Pakistan.

Child Labour in Pakistan

Consumers in affluent countries are appalled to think that their clothes or household goods might be the products of child labour. Strong international treaties are in place to outlaw the practice. But deep-set cultural traditions and impoverished economies do not respond readily to moral lectures from afar. Resistant to all but the most comprehensive development strategies, child labour shows no sign of becoming history.

Child Labour