Walt Disney

Introduction

Walt Disney in the Third world - Sweatshop Labour

When most people from the developed world think of ‘Walt Disney’, they consider Mickey Mouse, Disney Land in Florida, cartoons and cuddly toys as key components under the subject of ‘Walt Disney’. However the real truth is that millions of children in Third world countries are being forced to work in sweatshops to make toys and goods for Walt Disney. Whilst the directors make millions of pounds in profits, millions of children suffer through being exploited and working in terrible conditions for abysmal wages. In 2005 the company had revenues of $31.9 billion.^[1]This is a fine example of globalisation and how it has affected developing countries in the way of sweatshops and their treatment of workers.

Walt Disney sweatshops are heavily involved in producing goods such as clothes, toys, books and games. Children of the Developed world enjoy such goods through using them to play and learn with. However children from Developing countries like Bangladesh, China and Pakistan work for very little wages, barely enough to survive , and in terrible environments. In sweatshops workers injure high accounts of abuse both physical and mental. They have no right to speak out against conditions in case they lose their job and trade unions are forbidden. Many anti globalisation activists “argue that corporations who sell their product in wealthy western countries – at western prices – have a responsibility to pay their workers according to basic western standards�.^[2]However supporters of globalisation and free trade “point to a lower standard of living as an explanation for the low wages and argue that their (corporations) operations benefit the community by providing needed jobs … the choice isn’t between high-paid and low-paid work, but between low-paid or unemployment�.^[3]

An example of sweatshop use by Walt Disney is Niagra Textiles Ltd in Bangladesh. Workers at this sweatshop are treated terribly through the following: - Physically abused through punching and slapping if they are not working fast enough. - Forced to work extremely long hours (14 hours a day seven days a week one day a month off). - Drinking water is very unhealthy. - Sewers paid 11 – 20 cents an hour; helpers are paid 7 – 8 cents an hour. - Docked two days’ wages if they talk back to managers or supervisors. - No one has heard of Disney’s code of conduct. ^[4]

1. ^Wikipedia webpage on Walt Disney
2. ^Wikipedia webpage on sweatshops
3. ^Wikipedia webpage on Sweatshops
4. ^ National Labour Committee report on Walt Disney Sweatshops in Bangladesh

Walt Disney's links to Lobbyists and PR Firms

Conlcusion

According to Wikipedia:

the Walt Disney Company (most commonly known as Disney) (NYSE: DIS) is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. Founded on October 16, 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as a small independent animation studio, today it is one of the largest motion picture studios and also owns nine theme parks and several television networks, including ABC.

Disney's corporate headquarters and primary production facilities are located at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. The company is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It had revenues of $31.9 billion in 2005.^[5]

Notes

1. ^ Wikipedia page on Walt Disney