You as a Citizen of the World Lesson 12 You as a Citizen of the World WALT: To understand what the term globalisation means. To Investigate sweatshops and to identify ways of stopping sweatshop labour. Next

Starter How many words can you make out of the term GLOBALISATION

Globalisation – What do you think? ‘Globalisation is a good thing, because the more people come to see themselves as citizens of the world, the less conflicts there are likely to be’ ‘It gives too much power to multinational corporations whose decisions influence world trade as much as the decisions of governments, but they are not accountable to anybody except their shareholders’ ‘In one sense, it’s a good idea for countries to be inter-dependent. In another, its dangerous. A crisis in one country could easily lead to problems in others. ‘

Think! What do you understand by the term Globalisation? Share your ideas with your table and then try and write down your definition of Globalisation.

Globalisation is the term used to describe the process whereby people, governments and businesses throughout the world are becoming increasingly dependent on one another.

Causes of Globalisation One of the main causes of globalisation has been the development of huge corporations whose businesses operate in many different countries. Corporations such as Microsoft/ Ford/ Shell/ News International. Another cause of globalisation has been the technological revolution that began in the latter half of the 20th century. Developments in transport mean that people and goods can be moved swiftly from one part of the world to the other.

Developments in communication mean that information can be sent across the world in seconds via the internet, email, fax and telephone.

Supermarkets and Sweatshops Film: The People Who Make Your Clothes Around the world, garment factories hum for up to 20 hours a day. Workers, most of them women, are bent over machines, cutting patterns and folding clothes for long hours in dismal conditions, and paid a fraction of a living wage for their troubles. In Bangladesh, men and women work in garment factories for 80-100 hours a week for 5p an hour, not earning enough to cover their basic expenses, let alone send money to the families they left behind in villages around the country

http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/fighting-supermarket-power/extra/watch/14925-the-people-who-make-your-clothes These scenes repeat themselves in country after country, in places like Bangladesh, Honduras, Morocco, India and China where jobs are scarce. Workers know that they could be replaced overnight, and so have little leverage to bargain for better pay and conditions.

Supermarkets today wield unprecedented power on a global scale Supermarkets today wield unprecedented power on a global scale. From Bangladesh to Kenya, supermarkets dictate the terms at which overseas producers are forced to sell their goods. Supermarkets like Tesco seek to keep their prices low and their own profits high. With threats to find new suppliers, they force prices down around the World. But the workers who produce those goods – from fruit and vegetables to flowers and cheap clothes – feel their devastating impact everyday. Working in factories or on plantations, they face long hours, terrible working conditions and little or no trade union rights. Despite working 80 hours a week, many workers are unable to earn a living wage.

For example, in Bangalore in India garment workers have to work nine to ten hours a day with a break of half an hour for lunch. They are forced to complete targets of 100-120 pieces per hour, when under normal circumstances one can do just 60 pieces. Many get paid well under a living wage, yet they are expected to take care of a family of four or more. Overtime is not paid, workplace harassment and abuse are rampant, but they cannot voice their opinions through unions.

Supermarkets and Sweatshops What do you think about sweatshops? In your groups think of one idea on how we can ensure that we bring an end to sweatshop labour in the UK. Write the class ideas in a spider diagram.

The Real Price of Trainers

Stamping out Sweatshops Campaigners against sweatshops, such as No Sweat, demand an end to sweatshop labour, including forced overtime and excessive hours. They campaign for workers in sweatshops to be free to organise their own independent trade union. They suggest that there should be a labour mark on garments sold in the UK, so that we can guarantee that they were produced by workers who were free to organise and set decent standards in their workplace.

Stamping out Sweatshop Labour DO you think this would stop you buying goods that are produced by a sweatshop?

Plenary Write down 3 causes of globalisation and one way in which you would stop sweatshop labour in the UK.