What would you do?

[Bluesky]

We get pretty high and mighty when we hear about sweat shops in far away places that take advantage of poverty stricken people and hire them and make them work under horrendus conditions for miniscule wages.

What if you knew that there are sweat shops in Toronto that operate similarly?

Let us say that you have befriended someone from India who is a recent immigrant. And you learn that they waited for a long time to get a job. FInally they land a job, but you discover that it is a place that pays only $5 an hour, and these people work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. You become aware that these companies are defrauding the government as well.

And you know that if you report them, hundreds of South Asians will be out of a job and bearing even more difficult hardships until they find a decent job, which is unlikely to happen in this climate.

What would you do?

This is happening in Toronto. I wodner how widespread this practice is.
I do not know the name of said company or their location, so I cannot really blow the whistle.

[wiener]

I can lend you my whistle.

[Giggle Squirt]

what would Jesus do?

[Bluesky]

I know what He would do. But that isn't what I'm asking. And if I answered your question, this thread will be moved into the religion forum

[Nihilistic Heathen]

Talk to the guy and see if he is willing to speak with someone from the media. I'm sure you have contacts.

[NewCasa]

I've actually asked myself this question several times in the past. In truth, I think I would turn a blind eye. I think if I blew the whistle on this shop they would either move their facility to a third world country or just close down completely. Either way those jobs would be gone from our country and quite honestly any job is better than no job - especially for those trying to get a foothold in a new country.

[yoda]

I would probably do the same as NewCasa

[Bluesky]

Talk to the guy and see if he is willing to speak with someone from the media. I'm sure you have contacts.

I have already done that. It's a firm negative.

[Bluesky]

I've actually asked myself this question several times in the past. In truth, I think I would turn a blind eye. I think if I blew the whistle on this shop they would either move their facility to a third world country or just close down completely. Either way those jobs would be gone from our country and quite honestly any job is better than no job - especially for those trying to get a foothold in a new country.

Yeah. Well, seeing as I don't have any hard info to go on, I don't feel obligated, thank goodness.

I wonder how prevalent this practice is.
It's probably easier to hide an operation like this in TO than in a smaller town.

[dancingqueen]

I also agree with NewCasa

[Wisdom]

We get pretty high and mighty when we hear about sweat shops in far away places that take advantage of poverty stricken people and hire them and make them work under horrendus conditions for miniscule wages.

What if you knew that there are sweat shops in Toronto that operate similarly?

Let us say that you have befriended someone from India who is a recent immigrant. And you learn that they waited for a long time to get a job. FInally they land a job, but you discover that it is a place that pays only $5 an hour, and these people work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. You become aware that these companies are defrauding the government as well.

And you know that if you report them, hundreds of South Asians will be out of a job and bearing even more difficult hardships until they find a decent job, which is unlikely to happen in this climate.

What would you do?

This is happening in Toronto. I wodner how widespread this practice is.
I do not know the name of said company or their location, so I cannot really blow the whistle.

I have been saying this for a while now, this system is flawed....irrevocably....where do you think we all get our ability to live the way we do....that's CAPITALISM for ya!

[Wisdom]

maybe your friend should have stayed in India?

There is not much here besides greed and competition.....and some will do anything to compete....that's the way our system works....we try to pay the least amount of money for the most gain....

[Bluesky]

Wisdom, sometimes your comments are simply ignorant. If you knew the person, you might be qualified to say something about his motives.

And you missed my point. This is not about him. Nor is he complaining.

[Wisdom]

Wisdom, sometimes your comments are simply ignorant. If you knew the person, you might be qualified to say something about his motives.

And you missed my point. This is not about him. Nor is he complaining.

And you missed mine.....I am sure your friend is a fine man...... I was making a general comment about our society not about your friend.....I questioned his motives for leaving such a beautiful and wonderfully cultural community like India to live in a state of greed and decent like North America.....

[Wisdom]

Wisdom, sometimes your comments are simply ignorant.

Ignorance is a pretty relative term and is sometimes only the misinterpretation of the message....maybe you could have asked before jumping to conclusions?

[Bluesky]

And you missed mine.....I am sure your friend is a fine man...... I was making a general comment about our society not about your friend.....I questioned his motives for leaving such a beautiful and wonderfully cultural community like India to live in a state of greed and decent like North America.....

1. You've never been to India, haev you?

2. You assume the same forces that shape humanity in NA don't exist in India.

Ergo, I see you are ignorant of the situation. My assessment stands. Don't take it as a perjorative. You neither know India or my friend. Thus your suggestion that my friend might have remained in India, in the squalor and hopelessness that he was living in, is grossly misinformed, i.e. ignorant..

[dancingqueen]

Wisdom, some parts of India are very nice places to live in that have employment, homes, food, water etc... there are others that are unimaginable nightmares.

[Bluesky]

I spent time in Kolkata, Bihar (the poorest province in India) Delhi and Nepal. And I have not seen the worst of the poverty there, but what I did see was appalling and life-changing.

[Nihilistic Heathen]

I've actually asked myself this question several times in the past. In truth, I think I would turn a blind eye. I think if I blew the whistle on this shop they would either move their facility to a third world country or just close down completely. Either way those jobs would be gone from our country and quite honestly any job is better than no job - especially for those trying to get a foothold in a new country.

Really? This person is working 72 hours per week and making about $40 less per week than he would if working 40h/week for minimum wage. They are being taking advantage of and their is nothing guaranteeing that this company will not close shop and move on, leaving them high and dry. They left a third world country and came here and you think it's better that they work under third world conditions here?

[Bluesky]

Really? This person is working 72 hours per week and making about $40 less per week than he would if working 40h/week for minimum wage. They are being taking advantage of and their is nothing guaranteeing that this company will not close shop and move on, leaving them high and dry. They left a third world country and came here and you think it's better that they work under third world conditions here?

They are better off here. In India they could be living on the street, brushing their teeth in a puddle if they can find one.. and if they worked, they'd be earning 70 rupees per day, which amounts to about $3 per day in conditions far worse than where they are now.

Besides, these parents normally come to canada not primarily for themselves, but for a future for their children. That needs to be factored in.