Mncs Pollute Environment of Host Country, Employ Child Labor and Ignore Workplace Safety

...

Walt Disney’s code of conduct states, “Manufacturers will provide employees with a safe and healthy workplace”. However, their many manufacturing facilities expose their employees to acetone, a chemical solvent used to make and paint plastic toys, which can cause dizziness, unconsciousness, damage to the livers and kidneys, nose, throat and skin irritation. Workers have complained about these unsafe working conditions but all appeals from local human and labor rights groups continue to be rejected by the management which refuses to improve the ventilation system in the factory or remedy other unsafe working conditions. Additionally, the employees have no health insurance coverage and receive no compensation for injury or sickness. In 2005, an employee reported that the workers are forced to work in vile conditions, diminishing their basic rights and exploiting their ignorance. While providing cheap labor, the illiterate employees are defenseless against bullying, beatings and sexual abuse. Moreover, the factory conditions are hazardous to their health. There is no ventilation and use of unsanitary bathrooms is only allowed twice a day. Workers are forced to work thirteen to fifteen hour a day that can last up to twenty-two hours with only three days off in nine months. Furthermore, Walt Disney received $6,300 in fines after a worker was run over and killed by a float as it enters a parade. Disney spokeswoman Veronica Clemons said, “The safety and security of our guests and cast members is a top priority”. Yet the company that reported $604 million in earnings, failed to provide barriers between floats and parade workers.

From the practical examples drawn above, it can be inferred that multinational companies pollute the environment, employ child labor and ignore workplace safety. Additionally, it proves that globalization is not an unmixed blessing. While globalization has created many job opportunities and improved economic conditions of many least developed countries, it also has detrimental effects on these countries’ environment and workplace policies. The rules of environmental standards and workplace code of conduct should be strengthened in these least developed countries. Moreover, environmental activists and human rights organizations should come forward and take necessary steps to ensure the preservation of environment and workplace code of conduct. At last but not the least, multinational companies should stop the unethical exploitation of lax and lenient regulations of these least development countries.

...