Who's Keeping
My Feet Warm?
The Lives of Secret Treasures Workers in China.
Figure 1: Map of China from www.infoplease.com/atlas
Figure 3:
Picture of Secret Treasures Slippers.
Figure
2:Luen Shing Arts and Crafts Trading Company worker
from www.lianchen.com
Introduction
Before this project, I never once hopped out of bed and into my favorite red slippers and asked, “Who's keeping my feet warm?” Like most objects and like many others, I have taken their production for granted. After all, paying $10 for a pair of warm, fuzzy, Secret Treasures slippers from Wal-mart is very inexpensive by U.S. standards. Many of us expect such low prices from Wal-mart and the corporation continues to provide “Everyday Low Prices”, but at what cost? Through this research I will provide a story of a worker in the Qin Shi factory in China . Although Wal-mart refuses to reveal the locations of their factories, the Qin Shi factory was found and examined by the National Labor Committee and, therefore, provides access to information regarding the workers and working conditions. (National Labor Committee). I will describe a fictitious worker in Zhongshan City in Guangdong Province portray working and economic conditions as well as aspects of cultural, social, and religious life for a Chinese factory worker.
Context of China]
Prior to the civil unrest which raged through China in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, China was an influential culture for many centuries. (Applied Language 2004) Under the Communist Mao Zedong, an emerging China faced massive internal struggles as the nation attempted to stabilize national security and international relationships after World War II. This strong economic control changed under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping in 1978. (Applied Language 2004). The influence of his policies continues today, as economic control is less regulated than earlier strict political control. (Applied Language 2004)
Following this change in structure, China became more market-based and experienced an economic boom. A rural to urban migration ensued which, combined with this open market, brought 300 million out of poverty ( Commanding Heights 2002 ) . Even so, agriculture still comprises 50% of the labor force, while industry makes up only 22% (Applied Language 2004).
China is located in Eastern Asia and its area is slightly smaller than the United States (Applied Language 2004). While China has a diverse climate, notable tropical conditions exist in the southern region of China , where Guangdong Province is located (Applied Language 2004). Guangdong Province is located in the Southeast end of China , near the East and South China Seas (Figure 1).
Brand: Secret Treasures
Secret Treasures is a brand name of Wal-Mart, inc., a massive American corporation that now operates in nine countries (Argentina , Brazil , Canada , China , Germany , South Korea , Mexico , Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom ). (Wal-Mart 2005). Although Wal-Mart claims economic success in its international affairs, it has been under scrutiny both home and abroad. For this reason, it is very difficult to obtain any information on the whereabouts of factories and much of the detrimental information is gained through careful questioning and investigation.
Wal-Mart, however, is the largest retailer in the world, with recent expansion into international strongholds, food suppliers, and “membership warehouse clubs” such as SAM's CLUB. (Wal-Mart 2005). Wal-Mart operates “1,353 Wal-Mart stores, 1,713 Supercenters, 551 SAM'S CLUBS, and 85 Neighborhood Markets in the United States ,” (Wal-Mart 2005).
People
(The following is a fictitious account based on evaluation of research)
My name is Nori Chong. I am a seventeen-year-old girl living in Zhongshan City in the Guangdong Province of China. I work in a factory and it's rumored that the finished product is a pair of slippers, but I simply do the sewing so I've never seen it completed.
I live in a building behind the factory where they house 16 of us to a room and give us two meals that are much too small and don't taste right. I do have to pay to live there and for the food so I have never seen a paycheck since I've been working here. I am notified that I owe money to the factory for my living accomodations. (National Labor Committee).
I left my parents when I was 15 years old to find work in the city. They continue working in agriculture and I had hoped to send money home but I barely make enough to survive. (Applied Language). My family still prays to Buddah for help, but conditions are so bad now that I don't know who to turn to. (Applied Language 2004).
I make about 64 cents an hour and I work between 12 and 14 hours every day, seven days a week. (Coy 2004) I hear that many of the workers still owe the factory money for living and food and I don't know if I'll ever be out of debt. (National Labor Committee). After the first month, I almost left and went home because the factory demanded that I hand over my first months' paycheck as a payment for giving me the job. (Coy 2004). It's difficult for me to ever leave their sight because I am constantly searched and forced to hand over all of my identification if I leave the boundaries, even if just for an hour. (National Labor Committee). The factory has bars on the windows and is very dark. Sometimes we have to report early for exercise and we are only permitted to use the restroom twice each day. (Coy 2004).
I don't have many friends because I only have one day off about every month. (Coy 2004). I do come into contact with other girls my age in the factory, yet the conditions are dangerous and we are regulated pretty harshly so we're often yelled at or punished for talking or being out of place. (Coy 2004). I have heard that some of the other women are planning to strike. They told us that labor laws exist and that we are not being treated fairly, but I don't want to risk losing my job. (French 2004). There aren't many people in the city without work but there are certainly enough to fill my job. (Applied Language 2004). Some of the girls that have been here longer say that a couple years ago, workers tried to demand rights and 800 people were fired in one day. (National Labor Committee). I don't have the ability, means, or strength to get away.
Although I miss my family and the conditions are harsh, I have formed bonds with the girls at the factory. We are sometimes scolded for talking, but there is an underlying connection between us. We feel unified through our common experiences and tend to stick by each other in our free time rather than exploring the city (Kottak 2005). I hope someday that my paychecks will grow enough to support myself and send money home to my family. I still have hope that this movement to the city will benefit myself and my loved ones and possibly allow me to have my own family.
Process
At the beginning of my research, it was very difficult to find a place to start. I had the brand name, Secret Treasures, yet I could not find any specific information on the corporation or brand. I emailed Wal-Mart, where I purchased the slippers, and they re-directed my email three times, asking once for all product information. They then informed me that the information I gave them was not enough to trace the product. I needed to start somewhere, so I began researching locations of any Wal-Mart factory, and I found articles involving factories in Guangdong China, where I began my research.
The research for the fictitious account came from an amalgam of different accounts and investigation of factory conditions. I maintained correspondence with Wal-Mart yet I kept receiving emails lacking any real information. I decided, then, to base information on other research, mostly through the publications on factories in Guangdong.
As expected, it was very difficult to receive any direct information from Wal-mart about the working conditions in their factories. Wal-mart's involvement overseas, however, has raised many questions in the past that offered basic guidelines for my own research. This information, then, headed my research as I dug deeper into more specific aspects of China and its working class.
Conclusion
Thus, China's urban migration has led to a vast dependence on factory employment, subjecting the optionless workers to meager wages and dangerous conditions. Wal-mart has exploited this dependency by establishing factories for their branch brands, such as Secret Treasures. As Wal-mart continues to expand world-wide, more and more people are looking into the conditions at their factories. Because Wal-mart was not cooperative in providing any information on the conditions, such published information spear-headed my research, enabling me to write a ficticious account of a factory worker. This acount revealed both unbearable conditions and underlying connections formed between people who share common experience. Although my research and presentation does not provide many answers, it certainly asks questions and this, perhaps, is where we all must start.
Internet References Cited
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“Information on China .” Applied Language Solutions. 2004. www.appliedlanguage.com
This website provides statistical information on China.
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“Lian Chen Arts and Crafts.” Lian Chen. 2005. www.lianchen.com
This Arts and Crafts Trading Company website provides a picture of factory workers in China.
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“Made in China : The Role of U.S. Companies in Denying Human and Worker Rights.” The National Labor Committee. 2005. www.propertyrightsearch.org
This website provides information on factory conditions and is published by the National Labor Committe.
“Map: China .” Infoplease Atlas. 2005. www..infoplease.com/atlas/country/china.html
This website provides a map of China.
“Wal-mart International Operations: China .” Wal-Mart. 2005. www.walmartstores.comThis website provides self-published information about Wal-mart, the parent company of Secret Treasures.
Peer-Reviewed References Cited
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“Commanding Heights – The Battle for the World Economy.” Based on book by Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stalinslaw. PBS, 2002.
Coy, Peter. “Just How Cheap is Chinese Labor?” Business Week . Issue 3912 (Dec 2004): 46
French, Howard W. “Workers Demand Union at Wal-Mart Supplier in China .” NewYork Times 154:53065 (2004): A4.
Goldstein, Carl. “Wal-Mart in China .” Nation . Vol. 277 Issue 19 (Dec 2003): 7
Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Mirror for Humanity . Boston : McGraw Hill, 2005.