{"product_id":"behind-the-label-inequality-in-the-los-angeles-apparel-industry-9780520225060","title":"Behind the Label: Inequality in the Los Angeles Apparel Industry","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn a study crucial to our understanding of American social inequality  Edna Bonacich and Richard Appelbaum investigate the return of sweatshops to the apparel industry  especially in Los Angeles. The \"new\" sweatshops  they say  need to be understood in terms of the decline in the American welfare state and its strong unions and the rise in global and flexible production. Apparel manufacturers now have the incentive to move production to wherever low-wage labor can be found  while maintaining arms-length contractual relations that protect them from responsibility. The flight of the industry has led to a huge rise in apparel imports to the United States and to a decline in employment.  Los Angeles  however  remains a puzzling exception in that its industry employment has continued to grow  to the point where L.A. is the largest center of apparel production in the nation. Not only the availability of low-wage immigrant (often undocumented) workers but also the focus on moderately priced  fashion-sensitive womens wear makes this possible. Behind the Label examines the players in the L.A. apparel industry  including manufacturers  retailers  contractors  and workers  evaluating the maldistribution of wealth and power. The authors explore government and union efforts to eradicate sweatshops while limiting the flight to Mexico and elsewhere  and they conclude with a description of the growing antisweatshop movement.  Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of 2000\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45646876213301,"sku":"ByrdShop_0520225066","price":81.36,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780520225060_6069f2e5-6fbf-4ec4-a57f-bb99dba0d28d.jpg?v=1781679462","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/behind-the-label-inequality-in-the-los-angeles-apparel-industry-9780520225060","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}