Workwear

[studders]

There is a lot of nonsense talked about 'slave wages' in the third world. I used to travel to Indonesia a lot buying furniture and visited many factories. I never saw any working conditons appreciably worse than you could find in this country and in many cases the factories were absolutely first class....

As to the wages, yes; people work all day for five dollars. But if five dollars a day is sufficient to fund a family's lifestyle in that country what's the problem?



Cheers
Brad

In the series on food the factories were generally very modern and very clean. It was the working hours, in one case 12 hour shift with only one half hour break for lunch, that shocked me. And no one goes home until certain quotas are met. People over here just wouldn't do it imo. Yes the pay is relative and cannot be compared merely by conversion into pounds but, it was still very low compared to what the factory owners and retailers were making on the products. Worst of all were the conditions that the workers had to live in.

 

[BradNaylor]

It was the working hours, in one case 12 hour shift with only one half hour break for lunch, that shocked me. And no one goes home until certain quotas are met.

I take it you're not self-employed, then...

Sounds like an average day to me!

Brad

 

[big soft moose]

As to the wages, yes; people work all day for five dollars. But if five dollars a day is sufficient to fund a family's lifestyle in that country what's the problem?

if thats the case then fine , but a lot of stuff is produced in sweatshops where the workers (often children) are working for mere pence and have to work 16 plus hours to get enough to eat.

plus in some countries (PRC being a prime example) a lot of stuff is made by political prisoners who arent getting paid at all.

On karls point about those people not having a job and being in more abject poverty - the idea is that if no one was prepared to buy clothes made in those conditions the producers (who after all need to sell to us to make a profit) would have to raise their game in order to get our orders.

There is also the environmental question of whether it is ethical or sensible to ship stuff like jeans halfway round the world just so they can be bought cheap.

and the question of why in these cash strapped times we are giving our money to places like china rather than supporting british workers.

therefore in answer to the docs original question you can get workwear jeans that are made out of spun ptfe (recycled plastic milk bottles) manufactured in the UK for no more than a tenner a pair - unfortunately i cant remember who from but i'll try and find the link.

there is also the possibility of second hand

and thirdly why not wear overalls and wash them regularly.

 

[big soft moose]

In the series on food the factories were generally very modern and very clean. It was the working hours, in one case 12 hour shift with only one half hour break for lunch, that shocked me. And no one goes home until certain quotas are met. People over here just wouldn't do it imo. .

I dont disagree with you general point studders , but just to note that when i left uni in 1994 i worked in a food factory making quiche - 16 hour shifts with 2 30 minuite breaks , for 3.50 per hour.

it was probably illegal to offer those terms even then mind you

 

[Paul Chapman]

This is the point though Paul, Primark is a no no, it's is the epitome of sweat shop labour, probably worse than Tesco's.
I'm fairly lucky and could afford a better brand but I don't know that it would have any better (labour) crudentials.

Most large organisations get their products made wherever labour is cheap. Even the service organisations have been at it in recent years with, for example, call centres in India and places like that. Frankly, I think you're fighting a losing battle - although you could always buy a sewing machine and make them yourself :-k :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[big soft moose]

not the link i was thinking of but i found this http://www.ethicalworkwear.com/

note however that they are not cheap - and thus probably not practical for those running their own biz like doc and brad , but for those with the money or those who's workwear is bought for them by councils etc...

 

[studders]

It was the working hours, in one case 12 hour shift with only one half hour break for lunch, that shocked me. And no one goes home until certain quotas are met.

I take it you're not self-employed, then...

Sounds like an average day to me!

Brad

I was for quite some time.
There is a huge difference in working long hours when you are your own boss. Having someone telling you that you can't go home til your done is something else entirely, especially so if you were supposed to be home cooking dinner for the kids etc. several hours ago.

 

[studders]

16 hour shifts with 2 30 minuite breaks , for 3.50 per hour.

How on earth did they get away with that?

it was probably illegal to offer those terms even then mind you

That might answer the above question.

As a yoot, many moons ago now, I actually had my hours reduced as I was told I was working too many for my age.

 

[ginsters]

horrible fit,the same as snickers you need no thigh muscles to be able to fit in them

Worst look at my big muscles post, ever

i know the link to the pics didnt work :wink:

 

[Dave S]

I see you in something like this Doc

You sure you want to admit that on a public forum?? :shock:

Dave

 

[joiner_sim]

First started work wearing snickers, i found them uncomfortable and not smart-casual for the times i do have to meet customers. Then, forgetting about the smart-casual idea...... I started wearing trackies, expensive £20-£40 ones! They always got caught and ripped, never lasted. Then I brought the asda £3 jeans you guys are on about, and they are brilliant for work, at that price you can buy new ones when the old ones get a little messy. Very cheap, but they are made of a high quality, and maybe are underpriced, but thats the reason they are brought. Right or wrong....? Asda, tesco's, primark etc.... need to determine that.

 

[Woodmagnet]

Dickies trousers are superb and less than a tenner. Also at some of the shows and markets you get stalls doing used overalls for less than a fiver a pair. What about woodturners smocks.. why are the only available in mud brown, carpark attendant green or Italian icecream salesman white and why so desperately unstylish. I want to see those turning demonstrators in satin red smocks with there names in large gold lettering on the back like them darts players.

:lol: :lol: :lol: I used to be a dart player many years ago. :wink:

 

[Russ]

I wear organic hemp slacks that the wife buys from the local bio-shop. Not really suitable for woodworking but at only 120 Euros a pair at least I'm doing my bit.... But I have my doubts?

 

[mailee]

I can't wear Dickies as they are too big for me. Their small seems to be large and they get bigger from there. I usually wear cheap jeans or a pair of blue trousers which the name escapes me. I ordered two more pair off the internet over a month ago though and they still havent arrived.

 

[Tom K]

I see you in something like this Doc

You would have to ask her to remove the toolbelt though :lol:

 

[BradNaylor]

I can't wear Dickies as they are too big for me.

At least you don't have to pay VAT on your clothes, Alan.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out my link in Dickies. Just do a search. Still selling from £3.00.
I am short and fat and they fit lovely.

Koolwabbit

 

[DangerousDave]

Check out my link in Dickies. Just do a search. Still selling from £3.00.
I am short and fat and they fit lovely.

Koolwabbit

I ordered several pairs of the redhawk trousers, they're quite good quality and at £3 a touch you can't go wrong. They are a fairly good fit (I'm tall and thin(ish)) The only thing is they were advertised as 'navy' but are actually a vibrant light blue colour. I feel like a bit of a knob wearing them, I look like either a milkman or a worker in a German car factory... Cheers for the link anyhow Koolwabbit.

 

[StevieB]

Bit hit and miss on the dickies to be honest - I ordered 2 pairs of one style and 2 pairs of another (forget the names- sorry). All the same size, one style fits great, the other seems to require supermodel thin thighs - I can get into them but if I ever need to bend over to tie my laces or pick up something I have dropped there is going to be an industrial accident of epic proportions! Needless to say these are in my 'to diet into drawer' which is getting fuller and fuller at the moment :roll:

Steve.

 

[Anonymous]

Get the other half to dye them. Now got black.And doing other stuff.

I AM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHOP. Just trying to do others a favour.

Koolwabbit