Child Labor on "Walt Disney"

Essay by masterpuppetUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, November 2002

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Masterpuppet

World Poverty and Economic Development

Prof. Coombs

It is really no secret today concerning child labor in the world. Unbelievingly enough, "the happiest place on earth" not only focuses on marketing to the young children, but also uses them as slaves to produce their toys and clothes. The Walt Disney Company commercializes on their characters from Mickey to their current characters of Mulan and Aladdin. Taking their hit characters from the big screen to silk-screen, t-shirts by the hundreds are pumped out of various child labor factories. Not only are the work demands large, the young children work in conditions that are unfit for any human.

Haiti hosts a couple large child labor factories that hold a contract with the Walt Disney Company. Most of their employees are young women. "In Haiti, women stitch Aladdin T-shirts for 28 cents an hour, in Burma-6 cents an hour." Quite the opposite, Michael Eisner, CEO of Walt Disney Company is estimated to make about $102,000 per hour.

These conditions are not rare and can be found in many other locations throughout the world, including Vietnam, Bangkok, and China.

One certain child labor factory located in Haiti called Megatex produces Disney clothing which takes up half of their business. Michel Liautaud was made aware of the harsh working conditions of sexual harassment, no portable water, and unsanitary toilet facilities when the workers formed their own union addressing their concern. Liautaud met with the union and they were able to resolve most of their harsh working conditions. Both the union and Liautaud now meet once a week to talk about their weekly and daily problems at the factory. As far as the workers compensation, this still has not been resolved. Since the Walt Disney Corporation deals with their contract of payment with Megatex...