Sweatshops are still around because people still work in them.  They really have no other choice.  These people are very desperate for money and they will go to any means to get there.  So who are these people?  If we can put a face to them, then people will better understand why they are working here.  Lets look at the different types of workers for Disney!

Children

Children have been reported to be working in many sweatshops headed by Disney.  It is a little coincidental that this huge corporation for children is exploiting children!    The Nathan J. Company was reported to have used children as young as 12 years old working in their Los Angeles sweatshop.  The Vietnam Toy Factory, Keyhinge Toys had 90% of their employees as teenage girls.  There was a reported 1800 employees working for them.  Joe Allen, a private investigator, saw in one of the Los Angeles sweatshops that children's hands were getting destroyed by solvents.  The kids were reported to make 6 cents an hour, with free overtime!  Many of the children were getting sick because of the acetone used to make the products.  Many of the kids were in factories that had the fire exit locked and exposed wiring.  The Eden Group fired all of its adult line employees, to replace with children.  The factory owner stated, "labor is easier to control, easier to manage and the pricing is still cheaper.  We have the advantage that way" (Schweizer & Schweizer 1998).

 

 

Immigrants

The Too Cute Company had employed Thai nationals who owed money to smugglers.  The smugglers have helped them get into America, so the Thais were indebted to them (Schweizer & Schweizer 1998).