Lesson 2b

Labour standards are measures that protect workers and the environment. But often, they do not do enough to protect workers in developing countries on the other side of the world. Many of the products we consume everyday, for example, come from places such as Ecuador, but the workers who harvest the coffee beans or bananas that we have for breakfast often don't get a fair share of the profits made. I believe that too much of the money goes to the store who sells the product, or the in-between companies who are technically a part of the process.'



The fair-trade movement is one group who is changing the way profits are split, so that it is more fair. Now, coffee producers are paid 28 cents of each dollar - much more fair than it could be.



In respose to the question, "To what extent should I respond to globalization?" in this area, a way to help the producers in developing countries is to buy fair-trade products that give a fair share of the profits made to the producer. It can easily help a family somewhere on the other side of the world when you are aware of the fair-trade issue, and don't buy the products that still don't provide fair shares of its profits.