Here is another fundamental question we should answer before intervening between people who independently make contracts with one another (i.e., workers and employers): Do those who criticize the agreements between these parties offer a better job, or financial assistance, to the workers? If not, then according to what moral principle do they presume to get involved?

I have a suggestion as to how one could provide a service to low salary, high stress workers abroad. Send part of one's own salary to the employers who run "sweatshops," with the agreement that these funds will be used exclusively to increase wages and/or provide shorter work hours.

This might be a sound idea for a new charity organization. Students and faculty could collect and provide funds to corporations who employ the poor abroad so that they can (1) increase wages, (2) lower number of hours worked, and (3) still allow the companies to make sufficient profit to satisfy stockholders. After all, if such companies don't survive financially, then workers will have no jobs. Having no job could be more devastating than having a bad job. In some cases, in some countries, even starvation could result.

Let's develop special funds for corporations to increase salaries and lower working hours for the poor abroad. After all, such corporations provide massive funding to colleges and universities, in the form of tax contributions, and we should give something back so that they can help more people. I myself pledge $250 annual support to any such effort, with established accounting practices in place, and I welcome any reactions.

-- Brad Alford, Professor, University of Scranton (posted 4/10, 10:12 a.m., E.D.T.)

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