Famous Companies That Use Slavery

Summary

This video script exposes the grim reality of modern slavery in various industries. It delves into Uzbekistan's state-imposed cotton slavery, where citizens, including children, are forced into labor. The script also addresses the Ivory Coast's cocoa industry, where individuals are trafficked and enslaved. It further uncovers labor abuses in Chinese manufacturing, particularly at Foxconn, and child labor in India's carpet industry. The narrative extends to sweatshops in Saipan and Bangladesh, where major brands have been linked to exploitative practices. The script serves as a call to action for consumers to demand ethically sourced products.

Takeaways

• 😱 Uzbekistan is notorious for its state-imposed cotton slavery, where citizens are forced to pick cotton under harsh conditions.
• 🏭 Major global retailers like Gap and Levi's have policies against Uzbek cotton, yet some brands have been found sourcing from the country.
• 👶 Children as young as eight or nine are taken from schools in Uzbekistan to work in the cotton fields.
• 🍫 The Ivory Coast, a significant cocoa producer, is plagued by slavery, with people trafficked and sold to farmers for as little as twenty dollars.
• 🌍 Up to 90% of cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast reportedly use some form of slavery, affecting a large portion of the global cocoa supply.
• 🍫 Companies like Hershey, Mars, and Nestlé have been linked to cocoa slavery, with Nestlé continuing to use problematic farms until 2012.
• 🏭 Foxconn, a major manufacturer for Apple and other brands, has faced numerous allegations of labor violations and poor working conditions.
• 📱 Workers at Foxconn have been reported to endure long hours, cramped living spaces, and even suicide prevention measures due to the harsh conditions.
• 🇮🇳 The Indian carpet industry, particularly in North Bihar, is known for child labor and slavery, with children working in inhumane conditions.
• 👗 Major brands have been implicated in the use of sweatshop labor, including in Saipan, where workers were virtually indentured and forced into long hours of clothing production.
• 🔥 Tragic incidents like the 2014 Bangladesh sweatshop fire, which killed over 100 people, highlight the dangers of unregulated labor practices in the garment industry.

Q & A

What is the primary issue discussed in the script regarding Uzbekistan?

The script discusses the issue of forced labor in Uzbekistan's cotton industry, where the government imposes production quotas and recruits civilians, including teachers, doctors, and children, to pick cotton under harsh conditions.

How does the Uzbekistan government benefit from the cotton industry as described in the script?

The government of Uzbekistan benefits from the cotton industry by creating a monopoly, owning most of the land, and leasing it to farmers, which allows them to impose quotas and profit immensely from the labor of its citizens.

What actions have major retailers taken to avoid using cotton from Uzbekistan according to the script?

The script mentions that over 70% of major retailers, including Gap and Levi's, have strict policies not to buy cotton sourced from Uzbekistan due to the forced labor practices.

Which companies have been linked to sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan despite having policies against it?

The script names companies like Forever 21, H&M, Toys R Us, and Urban Outfitters as having sourced cotton from Uzbekistan, despite having policies against it.

What is the situation with child labor in the Ivory Coast's cocoa industry as described in the script?

The script describes a dire situation where children are trafficked and sold into slavery on cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast, facing horrible work conditions and being beaten to ensure obedience.

How prevalent is slavery in the Ivory Coast's cocoa industry according to the script?

The script states that up to 90% of cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast use some form of slavery, implying that at least two-fifths of the world's cocoa is produced with slave labor.

Which companies have been directly linked to slavery in the Ivory Coast's cocoa industry?

The script mentions that companies like Hershey, Mars, Kraft, and Nestle have been directly linked to slavery in the Ivory Coast's cocoa industry.

What measures have been taken by Nestle to address the use of slave labor on Ivory Coast farms?

Nestle pledged to change their ways after being linked to slave labor, but a 2016 report by the Fair Labor Association found that 70% of Nestle's farms were not trained on the illegality of slavery and had no process to monitor or remediate forced labor.

What is the situation with labor conditions at Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple products?

The script describes Foxconn as having a history of labor violations, including reports of poor working conditions, long hours, and instances of punishment and shaming of employees.

How does the Indian carpet industry contribute to the issue of child labor as per the script?

The script highlights that thousands of children in India are tricked, lied to, or even kidnapped into slavery to work in carpet looms, often in cramped, locked, and abusive conditions.

What is the role of the Saipan sweatshops in the production of clothing for major brands?

The script reveals that Saipan sweatshops have been used by major companies to produce clothing, where workers, including young Asian women, are subjected to indentured servitude, forced to work long hours in poor conditions.

What was the outcome of the 2014 fire in a Bangladesh sweatshop as mentioned in the script?

The script describes a tragedy where over 100 people were burned to death in a Bangladesh sweatshop when management locked the doors from the outside to prevent potential witnesses from seeing the fire.