"A UN Study in 1997 found that in 80% of developing countries, manufacturing wages are now lowe
"A United Nations study in 1997 found that in 80% of developing countries, manufacturing wages are now lower than they were in the 1970s and early 80s. Hourly wages paid by clothing giants such as Wal-Mart, Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor, Esprit, Liz Claiborne, Kmart, Nike, Adidas, J.C. Penney and others in China’s “special economic zones,” are as low as 13 cents an hour--and all of them are paying well below the estimated 87 cents an hour minimum living wage for an assembly-line worker in China.” Naomi Klein, No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies (1999) "As Klein points out, companies previously satisfied with a 100% profit margin from factory to retail, now demand at least 400%. Since women and children are the easiest to exploit, they are the preferred workers in these sweatshops."
Source: Cummins, Ronnie. "Clothes for Change." BioDemocracy News #41. October 2002. http://www.organicconsumers.org/newsletter/biod41.htm
