Sweatshop accusations invariably get attention. Especially when it happens to a big company like Disney, whose name represents almost every child’s dream. I recently read an article about Disney when I was searching Christmas information about Disneyland which really shocked me. Working at Disney is not a fairy tale!
It said that it was found out that in some Disney factories children are forced to work 9 to 10 hours a day, seven days a week, earning as little as six cents an hour. Oh my God! The charges against Disney were made last August by an activist group called the National Labor Committee, which said the company’s suppliers employed child labor under dangerous conditions.
For years, ironically, Disney was one of the most active members in UNICEF, an organization dedicated to the protection of children’s rights including protection from sexual exploitation and child labor, specifically. Disney is well aware of all the violations and conditions of all their factories. However, although according to one of the executive director of Disney “Disney and the factories absolutely took the issue seriously”, same unethical things are still going on. The US Government cannot take significant action because these operations are not on their soil.
Can you imagine? There are thousands of children who doesn’t have chance to study, making toys and other stuffs which could make other children smile. Isn’t it sad?
This news made me so upset. Maybe it’s time for us to care more about the Business ethics!