Can you identify any principles of justice which are being or may be violated by participants in the fast-fashion industry? What principles are violated by the corporate decision-makers? By the employees? By the consumers?
As demonstrated in the film, some economists argue that conditions in garment factories, bad as they may be, are better opportunities for workers in "developing" countries than they would have otherwise. After watching this film, do you buy this argument? Even if the argument is true, does that mean that conditions should not be improved? How are women's rights particularly affected?
Compare the conditions for garment workers you saw in the film to those in factories in the U.S. in the early 20th century. How are they similar and how are they different? Compare the conditions for garment workers to conditions for factory workers in the United States and other Western countries today. What is the difference? What do you think makes conditions better in some countries? What allowed workers in the West to secure better working conditions, higher salaries, health insurance, and a chance at entering the middle class?
How important is collective bargaining to workers' rights? When workers organized and protested the labor conditions in the film, they were met with a fierce backlash from their employers and state forces. Why is worker organizing and collective bargaining so threatening to employers and governments?
Given that labor and environmental laws are weaker in "developing" countries, are fast fashion companies' voluntary codes of conduct sufficient to improve working conditions in garment factories? If not, how can domestic and international law be changed to make this improvement?
How can consumers affect change on this model? As experts posit in the film, consuming more can have a negative effect on your psyche. Can a change in your consumption habits improve your well-being? How can it improve the well-being of others?
As consumers what can we do? With so much recognized wrong in the world, how important are the issues raised here? Think about a single mother with four children to feed. Should she feel justified in shopping at Wal-Mart or elsewhere considering her kids will grow out of the clothes in a few months? If you are a university student facing student loan debt and (hopefully) an entry-level salary, how can you make ethical fashion a part of your lifestyle?
Attachment:- honest_work_chapter_5.rar