Sweatshops are manufacturing facilities, that usually produce clothing, where working conditions are poor and workers are paid unfair wages for their labor. Who currently uses sweat shops? Many American corporations have moved their production operations overseas in order to lower their costs and increase profits.
This is often referred to as outsourcing or corporate globalization. Many of these sweat shops are located in China, South America, Jamaica, and Indonesia, etc. The modern anti-sweatshop movement began to gain momentum in the 1990s after the mainstream media exposed the use of a sweatshop and child labor to sew Kathie Lee Gifford’s Wal-Mart label. This single event invoked the media to research other companies and their use of sweat shops.
What was the result of this research? Many other companies were accused of allegedly using sweat shops to reduce production costs. These companies included such giants as the Walt Disney Company, The Gap, and Nike. Recently, additional companies including Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, American Eagle, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Guess?, J.C. Penny, K-Mart, Mattel, Pier 1 imports, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sears and Tommy Hilfiger have been accused of also allegedly using sweat shops.
As a result of the anti-sweat shop movement, many entrepreneurs have started companies that only use and produce “sweat free” products. “Sweat free” is the term used to address companies that are a part of the anti-sweat shop movement. Union Maid Screen Printing is one of the companies emerging out of this movement. It is the vision of John Herrera and the mission of Amy Barron and Rob Block, entrepreneurs with a purpose.
I had the opportunity to visit Union Maid, learn their process and interview John, Rob and Amy. Everything in their business has purpose, including the organizational structure. Union Maid Screen Printing operates as a co-operative business environment. A business cooperative is defined as a business owned and controlled by the workers. There is no management structure, everyone is on the same hierarchal level.
Over the course of an afternoon, I got a chance to really find out why they chose to create a business based in advocacy.
LM: What drives you?
JH: We have probably a couple of things…providing a service that is basically done in a way that is not in anyway under conditions that are harmful to people, be it from the manufacturer of shirts to the workers in the shop. We felt there was a need for this type of business. The shirts are manufactured by people that are paid the fair industry rate. Here [at Union Maid] we operate the same way. I try to create a workplace that is a good environment for people to work in.
LM: What experiences influenced your decision to start a business?
JH: I felt a lot of people were getting this type of service done, but not in the way we do it. I feel we can also provide a service in an area of social justice such as peace movements or whatever it is. We are able to work with folks like that. When we do a project, we have fun doing it. We feel really good knowing it is a project that is delivering a message or we can help someone with their project.
LM: What formal education and/or training do you have or had to get to start your business?
JH: A lot of this business requires a lot of computer skills. Amy has been formally trained in graphic design and illustration. Rob also has a lot of skills in that area. We’ve all had training in the printing industry. We can have a good design, but after that we have to have training in film positives and printing.
LM: How did you get started?
JH: The first step was to decide to do it. The key is, when you go into any new project, it takes a lot of things to make it work. I contribute what I do and Rob and Amy contribute what they do. Its real key that the efforts of all three of us has made it work.
LM: How did you determine what product and or service to sell?
JH: When I was involved with the Houston Social Forum, we were looking for a printing shop that did Union Made printing. That’s when I said we needed to have a print shop in Houston that did not use your typical sweat shop clothing. Basically, we saw a need that wasn’t being met.
LM: What lessons have you learned from your first years in business?
JH: You have to practice what you preach. I felt the need to turn this into a worker owned environment for these reasons. One of the biggest problems with any small business is the staying power. I wish you could just open your doors and make it, but it doesn’t work like that. Fortunately, we were able to pay some of the bills [start-up bills] without having to have sales to do it. I think if you can do that, you can make it.
RB: We learned a lot, the technical aspects of all of this. Amy has a graphic design background and John has a business background. I think I help by organizing our process. We’ve learned a lot about how to communicate because of the distribution of labor. Somethings are more efficient because you don’t have to go up the chain of command to get things accomplished. I’ve done activism for the past 5 years, but most of the jobs I’ve had had no formal contract. We are all decision makers as opposed to the same structure imposed from the outside.
AB: It’s kind of different because we don’t have set hours because everyone is part time. In the corporate world, there were so many lines…chain of command. There was never a right thing to do. Here everyone works together and we are not concerned about our position. It’s not cut throat.
LM: Who were the primary influences in your life as it relates to being an entrepreneur?
AB: Luckily, I was brought into this with Rob and John. I knew when I was terminated from my job after 3 years [that i wanted to be an entrepreneur]. I would work long hours and I was not getting paid for it, I was on salary. There were cuts, a lot of the people they cut were older too. You give them your life and when you need the company, they will lay you off when your in need. I realized you’re going to be very lucky to find a company that will be there for you in your 50s. My friends have seen a 180 degree turn around in my work and my excitement for what I do. I had lost my motivation. the best thing for me was getting laid off.
RB: I’ve been lucky enough to know a lot of people [that are entrepreneurs]. For this project, I wouldn’t have come up with it without John [Herrera]. I lived in another country for a year, and I met a guy named Varo. He tried to start a new store when he was young. He ended up migrating to the U.S. and working for a bike project non-profit. He was a bike mechanic and started the first Spanish language classes that they had in the non-profit. He started this cool program in this neighborhood where I was living that was poor. Now he works for a small company that does “green” [environmental] buildings. Every where he ended up, he found a niche for himself. He inspired me to believe that doing positive things can actually be a business instead of a hobby.
LM: What has been your biggest success?
RB: I feel it has more to do with process instead of a particular job. Dealing with customers has been the hardest thing for me. I always think about it from the customer’s perspective. We’ve been doing the work of trying to price things fairly and build an environment that is fair to customers and fair to us. Acknowledging that we are making a process and we are never gong to reach a spot where we are totally done is our success.
AB: Our greatest success is that we are a collective company that is lateral and not vertical.
LM: What has been your biggest disappointment?
RB: The four color screen printing process (smiling)
AB: There are so many different tricks of the trade that just aren’t given to you. You have to learn as you go. It gets frustrating sometimes.
LM: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
JH: I think if you empower anyone, regardless of what they are doing, that is good for everyone. People become more productive when they enjoy what they are doing.
AB: Be prepared to give and not receive. In a new business, it is really an investment in the beginning. Really plan out your business model and make sure that you are ready to do it for years and years. Make sure the people that you are working for are just as passionate. Make sure you have an impact on the community.
RB: Make sure you talk to people in your industry. You can learn a lot. Talking to us has been an asset for us. I am hoping that our business is successful and proves that worker owned businesses do work. The steps we take towards that are positive.
LM: What does providing a service with a cause mean to you?
AB: When it’s a good cause and you are passionate about it, you take pride in it. After working in corporate [America] 5 years, I got burned out and realized I wanted to work in an environment with a cause where I could take pride in my work.
RB: I think that it is significant because of not only the service, but the products and the process. Everything we use comes from valid sources. Also, our office functions democratically. There is no clearly defined boss. We are trying to show alternatives are possible.
