[Avodah] Tzinius and the ILG

[Shmuel Weidberg]

On 2/13/07, Daniel Israel <dmi1 at hushmail.com> wrote:

> Just to clarify: do you
> (a) deny that there is any mistreatment of workers,
> (b) assert that although there is mistreatment, it is so clearly
> outweighed by other factors that the ethical situation becomes obvious,
> (c) deny that such mistreatment is an halachic/ethical issue?
>
> Or something else I'm missing?

What do you consider mistreatment? I know somebody who is a resident
(doctor) and is so overworked and has such crazy hours that that the
hourly rate is barely five dollars. Does that mean that you will
boycott hospitals as a result? I understand that it is standard
practice in hospitals. And lawfirms aren't better either. And
supposedly computer companies are sweatshops as well?

Is that inherently mistreatment? Perhaps. But why boycott third world
sweatshops when you don't boycott firstworld sweatshops? And if there
is worse mistreatment than that, then that is a separate problem. It
is not a problem with "sweatshops" per se.

The truth is, it is the same with slavery. Although the gemara
determines that it is a zechus for a slave to be freed. The gemara
does not consider it a slam dunk. The main reason why slavery was
condemned so strongly is because slaves were so severely mistreated
and had no rights whatsoever. But in a just society living by Torah
rules slavery would be worse than being free, but would not be the
great injustice that it is made out to be.

Regards,
Shmuel