The Price of a Dollar

Today, I learned something new. Unfortunately, this was not some fun, exciting discovery that I am proud to share. According to Nathan and Mort's essay Remembering Norma Rae, the textile industry is the only industry that to this day still is not unionized. That makes me really sad. The people that work so hard to manufacture the clothes that we wear on our backs everyday, still do not have an organization that protects them from wage inequality, overworking, poor work conditions etc. Knowing this, a certain question comes to my mind. Is it worth it? Is working tirelessly in a factory for a wage that cannot even support you worth it? I do not think people realize--myself included until this day--how some of the clothes we wear got in our hands. Here in the United States and all over the country people are slaving away in sweat shops to make those cute jeans you bought on sale or the sweater you copped from Goodwill. Now that I think about it, I have read the labels in some of my  clothes, and I lot are made outside of the country. The brand Hollister, for example, has their jeans made in Guatemala. I'm sure this is because the labor is cheap and desperate families are willing to work excruciatingly long hours to provide whatever they can. Another thought comes to mind. American Apparel is an advocate for the rights of textile workers, as they advertise that all of their clothes are sweatshop free. So, all of this leaves me somewhat overwhelmed. There is so much to be changed yet little has been changed. Norma Rae fought for textile worker equality, but still nothing. then again, i can't say i'm surprised, as other continue to fight for their rights and we fail to progress.