Wages to Live By

If workers in other countries receive wages that are insufficient to elevate their life beyond poverty, and they are producing goods consumed in our country, is that an issue of social injustice for us to be concerned about? Addressing this issue of wages on the international level is vital for the sake of the future of our own country, and also because of ethical justice for the workers.

Some people will surely say that the capitalist based free market economy is successful in producing wealth and so we should let nature take its course, not adding regulations such as a minimum wage, letting the market set wages, and letting the law of survival of the fittest rule in all the affairs of mankind. Therefore we may choose to model our economy on this motto of Adolf Hitler, “Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is able to preserve himself above the animal world, but solely by means of the most brutal struggle.” However, we may also consider other voices speaking into this situation. We may choose to view humans as having a higher responsibility than to live by the base rule of survival of the fittest. There may be many factors to consider before casting off our responsibility for the poor of the earth. Recognizing that the desperation that comes from poverty will eventually affect us here in the comfort of our affluence, President Truman said in 1947, “The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of people for a better life has died. We must keep that hope alive.” It is foolish and short sighted to think only of the economic prosperity of our own country. If we consider the interrelated aspects of our global economy we must consider the economic well being of other countries as a benefit to world stability.

When I traveled to India and The Philippines I witnessed first-hand, good hardworking people, who would work 12 hours a day, in an electronics factory, just to stay poor. These people work harder than me for a few dollars a day. Some people say that is ok because everything is cheap in their economy. That is a half truth. True the rent for their shack may only be $15 to $25- per month but a computer still costs $750-! That is the situation. It is also true that the industrialization of poor countries by western enterprise has already greatly benefited these countries. But it is also true that these benefits have not been great enough to elevate these people beyond dependence upon us. The benefits are just enough to keep them in financial slavery.

I am not against capitalism. I am not against rich people-that is their choice. But this is an issue of ethical justice, if people are working at slave labor wages, living in want, producing products so that others may live in luxury, then this is an ethical concern; a concern to God and to us. A Biblical passage challenges rich people saying, “You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who harvested your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty!” (James 5:3-4)

The solution seems to be voluntary elevation of wages by the corporations. If we don’t want international government regulations then the corporations should take the lead voluntarily. Major electronics leaders have already taken a huge step in forming the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition, (EICC) (http://www.eicc.info/). Membership in this organization is voluntary and its members conduct self audits of their suppliers down to the third tier.

The EICC Code of Conduct monitors in the categories of: Labor, Health and safety, Environment, Ethics, and Management systems. Under the labor category it monitors: freely chosen employment, (including child labor avoidance), working hours, (including wages), humane treatment, and freedom of association. The standards currently established in the EICC Code of Conduct should be modified to mandate a living wage rather than merely conform to local minimum wage and should reduce the rate of overtime pay so that workers will have less motivation for working excessively long hours.

This is good ethically and it is good for the world wide economy. If factory workers can get great paying jobs it will boost the economy in the entire region; “Trickle-down economics”. A global re-distribution of wealth creating a more balanced world economy would be good and healthy for all. It will not hurt my feelings to see Americans, and other affluent countries, paying a little more for our products, if that increase is channeled to the workers. American corporations should take the lead in setting higher standards for the EICC Code of Conduct.

I am as materialistic as any other American. I have a nice computer, multiple nice cameras and musical instruments, mostly made overseas. I am not against exporting jobs around the world because it is obvious that economic ties are what is keeping this world at peace. And I also have been a hard working carpenter most of my adult life. But the first time I saw construction workers in bare feet my heart was deeply ashamed at my American affluence. Because I am a worker I feel especially passionate about this issue. I simply think a worker should get paid a decent wage for a day’s work.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *