TED Conversations

ahmed faroug

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Labor Abuse?

Why do some countries not have safe working environments?

+1
Share:
progress indicator
  • thumb

    Verble Gherulous 20+

    • 0
    May 16 2012: Because the workers have not demanded it. Business will never provideanything it does not have to. To business, the worker is merely a tool, a part of the production system. But unlike the other inanimate assests of the company, the worker has a voice, and when all the voices are unified, then they can call for positive change, such as fire escapes, water,not breathing in toxic fumes for 15 hours a day.

  • Taqwa Salah Warrag

    • 0
    May 16 2012: Ethics of work are rarely to be followed, but that depends on the country itself.
  • thumb

    Kent Spencer 10+

    • +1
    May 16 2012: Because there is a lack of leaders that's willing to stand up for what's right. If all workers under labor abuse made a choice to make a stand for the good of their current situation and their children's future possible situation, the labor abuse issue will be a problem of the past.

    I believe if people under these labor abuse conditions collectively made the descision to stop working for companies who don't treat their workers properly, progress will be made.
  • thumb

    pat gilbert 50+

    • 0
    May 15 2012: Safety can be and generally is a part of a rule of law.

    For example Chile has strong building codes Haiti does not.
    In 2010 a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti and killed 200,000 the same year an 8.8 earthquake (500 times stronger) hit Chile and killed 800

    The rule of law created a prosperous economy in Chile and also kept corruption and impediments to the free market to a minimum.

    Days consumed dealing with construction permits to build a basic warehouse

    Haiti: 1,179 days
    Chile: 155 days

    Ranking on worldwide corruption index

    Haiti: 168
    Chile: 25
    • thumb

      Verble Gherulous 20+

      • 0
      May 16 2012: While I generally agree with your point, there were other factors involved as well, such as geographical location and historical development of each country, both of which contributed to the ability of each country to respond to the natural desaster with such disparate results.
      • thumb

        pat gilbert 50+

        • 0
        May 16 2012: Yea like Haiti is raft with corruption, completely dependent on foreign aid, etc.

        Chile's Pinochet was smart to know he didn't know about economics and brought in Milton Friedman for 1 week and applied what Friedman taught them and the rest is manifested by the safety in 2 countries.

        These are the salient factors.
  • thumb

    Salim Solaiman 50+

    • 0
    May 15 2012: Because may be Maslow's need hierarchy is yet to be obsolete
  • thumb

    Krisztián Pintér 200+

    • 0
    TED Translator
    May 15 2012: safety costs money. on the free market, workers can choose between safer but less paying jobs and less safety but higher wage. usually a poor country or region has less safety, as they value money relatively more.
    • thumb

      Verble Gherulous 20+

      • 0
      May 16 2012: In some countries there is very little choice, but I am intrigued by your suggestion that a poor country has less safety, as they value money relatively more. Could you elicidate further?
      • thumb

        Krisztián Pintér 200+

        • 0
        TED Translator
        May 16 2012: i present you two choices

        1. what do you want more: safe working environment or shoes/medicine/food for your kids?

        2. what do you want more: safe working environment or bigger flat TV?
Showing all 10 comments