Increasing Shareholder WealthINTRODUCTIONThe goal of all corporations is to increase shareholder wealth. Shareholder wealth is increased by increasing the company's profit. In a company involved in manufacturing, reducing the cost of inputs is essential for growth. One of the main components of production costs is labor. When it comes to labor costs, the company and the worker usually have very different goals. The company wants to pay the worker as little as possible, while maintaining the productivity and quality required by its customers. The worker, on the other hand, seeks to increase his personal wealth by demanding the highest wages and benefits possible. Because of this somewhat adversarial relationship, companies and workers have developed strategies to strengthen their positions. One of Labour's main defenses is to organize itself into trade unions. The existence of unions can be an effective method of gaining a position of strength, especially when dealing with multinationals. Depending on the size of the company, they may have the power to employ methods that are difficult for workers to prevent or counteract. One tactic companies use to reduce labor costs is the use of "sweatshop" labor. A sweatshop is a manufacturing facility that operates below minimum standards for safety and/or wages and benefits. Sweatshops flourished in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This article will examine the reemergence of sweatshop manufacturing in the United States and abroad, and its impact on the way manufacturers do business. Two US companies will be discussed in detail. The issue of using cheap labor domestically and offshore will also be discussed, including arguments in favor of this practice. the use of sweatshops. This section is intended to provide a brief description of some of the events that led to workers' rights laws. The following information was excerpted from NBC News Online. June 3, 1900 Garment workers form the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union to protest low pay, fifteen-hour days, no benefits, and unsafe working conditions. Although weak at first, the ILGWU struggles to help all workers fight for better conditions and higher wages. 1909 November 22, 1909 - February 15, 1910 Organized by the ILGWU, 20,000 shirt makers, mostly women and children, stage the first strike of textile workers. Many protesters are beaten or fired. Ultimately, garment workers get a pay raise and a reduction in work to 52 hours a week.