Triangulating a Solution

     By now, the debates have been raging for a few days over how to implement safety standards in overseas factories. The Triangle fire a century ago ignited a tremendous backlash against dangers in factories - in the US. For a long time, no one has really been thinking about outsourced production. Now, human rights advocates draw attention to fire hazards, hot and crowded working conditions, and injury rates; meanwhile, savvy economists point out that increased safety precautions would increase costs, and a majority of Americans would prefer not to spend more money than absolutely necessary. (For more, see Sean's and Jake's recent posts.)




     When two sides are at an impasse, the solution is cold hard facts. How about this one? The improvements demanded would increase prices by "roughly 3 percent", according to this NY Times article. On the oft-decried "$5 T-shirt", that would mean an increase of fifteen cents. You know the old saying If everyone gave a nickel, we'd be done here by sundown? Well, if everyone gave three nickels, we'd have safer working conditions in Bangladesh.


     Or how about this fact? Even after some retailers claimed to have ceased ordering from unsafe factories, their garments have still arrived on the shelves through subcontractors and middlemen. This problem is perhaps reminiscent of the blood minerals trouble in the electronics industry, and the solution is the same. Demand transparency from the people you're buying from. Make them tell you where they got the product, and if they're real weasels, make them show you some provenance. Then showcase your new policy, like Apple did, and not only have you helped save lives, but you don't even lose face with your customers.

     Of course, these are people we're talking about, and they're not always rational. Are "big name" stores likely to implement a solution? If so, how long will it take, and will the changes be real or just cosmetic? If not, why? and what can we do about it? Comment please!