????孟加拉一家制衣廠遭遇慘烈的火災后，數名沃爾瑪（Wal-Mart）股東聯名致信這個零售業巨頭，表達他們對該公司工人工作環境、風險監控和事務公開透明度等問題的擔憂。雖然這封聯名信關注的只是沃爾瑪海外加工廠工人的生存狀況，但它在美國國內工人的工作狀況同樣值得關注。

????聯邦儲備委員會（Federal Reserve）委員撒拉?布魯姆?拉斯金最近表示：“美國經濟陷入衰退后，不動產財富的凈下降對中低收入家庭的資產負債狀況影響尤其嚴重；而且，經濟復蘇后，處于收入分配鏈底端的居民找到工作的難度更大，工資也一直停滯不前。”確實，目前零售和餐飲服務等行業員工的收入尤為微薄。

????最近幾個月以來，美國國內麥當勞（McDonald）員工罷工抗議的浪潮一直沒有中斷過。根據一個由社區、勞工部門和牧師組成的同盟（他們支持快餐業員工發起運動呼吁增加薪酬、建立工會而不被報復）發表的一篇新聞稿，大約有100名來自芝加哥、底特律、密爾沃基和圣路易斯的麥當勞員工和他們的支持者一起來到麥當勞股東大會現場，“向股東要求獲得一份體面的薪酬”。來自美國有線電視新聞網財經頻道（CNNMoney）的一篇報道稱，快餐業許多員工的工資水平處于貧困線之下。

????據《國家》雜志（The Nation）發布的一篇報告，四月底，因為對不公平的工作時間安排不滿，沃爾瑪150家連鎖店的員工與門店經理形成了對峙。上星期二，《國家》雜志報道稱：“罷工的沃爾瑪員工在雅虎（Yahoo）CEO瑪麗莎?梅耶爾和沃爾頓家族成員格雷格?彭納（二人都是沃爾瑪董事）位于帕羅奧多的大樓外面罷工抗議。抗議者稱，組織者誓言，它將成為零售業歷史上首次長期罷工。”

????說到工作條件，我們不能一概而論，因為不同地方的工作條件會存在驚人的差異。顯然，孟加拉只是一個工作條件極差的例子。但即使是在美國國內，勞動力供應鏈問題也會因地域的不同而不同。社區工會聯盟華盛頓工會（Working Washington）傳播專員西亞?勒夫科維茨說，在阿拉斯加航空公司（Alaska Airlines），雖然是同樣的一條供應鏈，但西雅圖機場工人卻在因為享受不到與洛杉磯機場工人同等的薪酬及工作條件而進行抗議。她在一份公告里寫道：“50多名機場工人聯名指控公司非法侵害自己的健康和安全權益，華盛頓州勞工與產業部（The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries）已經對此展開了調查。”

????In the wake of the tragic factory fire in Bangladesh, a group of Wal-Mart investors sent a letter to the retail giant expressing concern about worker conditions, proper risk oversight, and transparency at the company. While the letter focused on conditions abroad, the company ought to focus on what's happening at home as well.

????Federal reserve governor Sarah Bloom Raskin said recently that "The net decline in housing wealth since the recession has had particularly acute effects on the balance sheets of lower- and middle-income households ... [and]households at the bottom of the income distribution have also had a harder time than others finding jobs during the recovery and their wages have continued to stagnate." Indeed, wages for workers in sectors like retail and food services are particularly low.

????McDonald's (MCD) workers have been protesting around the country in recent months. Approximately 100 workers and supporters from Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Louis went to the McDonald's shareholder meeting to "ask shareholders for decent pay," according to a press release issued by a community, labor, and clergy coalition that is supporting fast food workers' campaign for higher pay and the right to form a union without retaliation. Many fast food workers earn wages below the poverty line, according to a report by CNNMoney.

????At the end of April, workers at 150 Walmart (WMT) stores confronted managers about unfair scheduling practices, according to a report by The Nation. And on Tuesday The Nation reported that, "striking Walmart employees ... held protests outside the Palo Alto mansions of two members of Walmart's Board of Directors: Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer and Greg Penner, a Walton family member" and have launched "what organizers promise will be the first 'prolonged strikes' in the retail giant's history."

????When it comes to working conditions, one size does not fit all. Conditions differ dramatically from location to location. Bangledesh is one example, of course. But even in the U.S., labor supply chain issues can differ from place to place. At Alaska Airlines, Seattle airport workers in its supply chain are protesting their wages and working conditions, which do not equal those of L.A. workers in its supply chain, says Thea Levkovitz, communications specialist at community organization coalition Working Washington. "The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has launched an investigation into charges of illegal violations of health and safety standards brought forward by more than 50 airport workers," she wrote in a statement.