ETHICAL PRINCIPLES IN BUSINESS
Human rights are fundamental privileges and freedoms that everyone is entitled to irrespective of their sex, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, and race. In the case of China workers and the American workers, the rights given to them differ in many ways. According to John Sweeny, American workers are given more rights than the China workers. American workers are provided with workers rights like material incentives which include requiring human rights and personnel protections. Nevertheless, they also have a stronger enforcement in their trade laws and trade agreements.
On the other hand, workers in China have fewer privileges than American workers. China has stood up in the abuse of the core workers rights codified in the ILO’s (International Labor Organization) declaration of the Fundamental Principles and rights at work that is binding on the members of that organization. China has even wanted to start their own organization that protects the rights of its workers. It is noted that there is less protection in China than it is the US. For example, there are many deadly accidents in the coal mines belonging to the Chinese as compared to the American coal mines. Generally, American workers benefit more from protection of their workers and have much more privileges to such things as collective bargaining.
American companies such as Wal-Mart Disney have a duty to protect the worker rights but sadly they are not fulfilling it. This is by ensuring that all countries pay the same amount instead of some paying more than they are required to. For instance, Wal-Mart usually uses its power in the market to force its suppliers to pay less than minimum wage of China (Sweeney, 2004, p. 2). It forces wages to go down in China then offers a platform of low-cost goods in the US. Wal-Mart however, undermines the rates of wages and benefits too. Wal-Mart is driving wages down in both US and in China too.
In conclusion, it is evident that the American workers have more rights than the Chinese workers. And on the other hand, the challenge of both the US and China governments is to confront the kind of destructive business caused by Wal-Mart Disney by building a stronger and broader coalition of workers.
REFERENCES
Sweeney, J. (2004). China’s Workers and the World. China Rights Forum. Retrieved from
http://www.hrichina.org/sites/default/files/oldsite/PDFs/CRF.3.2004/Chinas_Workers.pdf
