This is by no means an exhaustive report. I'm not a journalist, an academic, or even really much of an adult. But sometimes you gotta say something, even if you have no mouth.
A $5-per-day minimum wage in Haiti doesn't take "economic reality into account," according to Hanes, Levi Strauss and other companies; the US counters with a $3-per-day recommendation.
Now... Quality work is worth the piddly extra $2 a day, yes? How bout this: Give your workers a living wage, and make your coffee at home. You won't be hurting Starbucks; they sell coffee by the bag too... and that's the only way to get their fair-trade stuff (which tastes better anyway).
Here's the kicker: With 2 people per household earning $5 a day, the average Haitian household still comes up $2.50 short every day. With 2 people per household earning $3 a day, the average American manufacturer comes out in favor of keeping Haiti poor and America free of jobs in manufacturing. After all, a Haitian worker costs $55 less than an American one.
Check out the Nation trying to bury the story they accidentally dropped here, at the CJR:
http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/a_pulled_scoop_shows_us_booste.php
(I apologize for the sloppy presentation of a URL instead of a proper link. Apparently html isn't good enough for this blog, and won't take you to the intended destination. Instead, you gotta copy and paste. Sorry again).
Yeah. $2/hour more might get that job shipped to someplace like Bangladesh. Still, Haitian textile workers might be better off than their Bangladeshi counterparts, if labor conditions are any indication.
Heads-Up: The video here contains some imagery that might be considered graphic. Just saying.
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