ack32

For countries that don't enforce labor standards, I'd suggest you limit the business you do with companies that source jobs out there. Voting with your feet is the most powerful type of voting, and there are always other companies to buy your goods and services from. If you go for the "cheap" brands knowing full well that your products are produced in sweat shops, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution. When companies see that the negative impact of working in foreign countries that do not respect minimum labor standards, they will think twice about using them for cheap labor.

Check out Howard Dean's website on labor: (http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/P...tatement_labor) ... this supposedly far-left leaning candiate (he's actually much more moderate than people think) has a quite reasonable labor agenda. "To restore economic growth, we need to strengthen the right to unionize here at home and enforce international labor standards abroad." Exactly what I've been saying. Enforcement of labor standards abroad and supporting the right of people to unionize are very important. Sure, unions sometimes make bad decisions when they get too greedy/powerful, but I respect the willingness they have to make big employers more responsive to the blue (and white) collar workers. However, when unions demand too much while giving too little, the jobs will move overseas.

The most important part is to be active and stand up for what you believe. Research the companies that you do business with and see what their stance is on the issues that you care about. The most important vote that you have is your free will and choice.

But remember that it costs money to buy goods and services, and that's why almost all Volkswagens are engineered in Germany, but produced or assembled in South America and Eastern Europe, and the shoes you probably have were produced in poor working conditions...