If you remember the M203 debacle, you know my opinion of television-based investigative reporting isn’t that great. This week’s reporting by Seattle’s KING 5 takes the cake. Naturally, they only had the best intentions. Going into the first report all the elements of a great story were there. There was a victim and an evil Asian sweatshop who was working an behalf of big business. The truth however, is hardly the same.

So, before we get into this further, you need to go catch up on KING 5’s reporting so we are on some common ground.
Day 1
Day 2
I am not going to critique the KING 5 piece bit by bit since it is so bad. Instead, I am going to hit a few highlights.

Now that you have read and watched the reporting, I am sure that some of you with experience in this industry are already going, “oh crap”. For the rest of you, the reason that some are saying, “oh crap” is because almost everyone uses sub-contractors at one time or another and what’s more, many in the tactical sewing business use home sewers. So, before we go any further, a little on home sewing for those of you unfamiliar with the practice.

Home sewing is great for both worker and business. The sewer is paid by the piece and can be at home with the kids or a sick relative, working at their own pace and taking breaks as needed. If they are good, they can make a lot of money in a relatively short amount of time. Of course, with piece work as it is called, the inverse is that, if they can’t sew well, they don’t make much money. The reason home sewers don’t get paid by the hour is because they are unsupervised and there is no way to determine how much time they have actually worked. Home sewers are almost always contract (1099) employees.

So now that you know a little about home sewing, don’t you find the reporter’s shock over the sewer receiving 80 cents for an assembly piece a bit ridiculous? He acts as if she is being underpaid, but we have no idea how long it took her to make the piece. If it were say four minutes, she could make up to 15 an hour and net $12.00. But no, the KING 5 reporter made a big issue over the 80 cents and left the rest to our imagination, expecting us to imagine that this woman were receiving sweat shop wages.

Another issue from the reporting that struck me was the repeated insinuation that these products were somehow not American made. It reeks of racism to imply that because these products were made by Asians, some of whom do not have a great command of the English language that these products might as well be made off-shore.

Another issue here is sub-contractors. Almost every industry in America relies on them. Once it is established that the potential sub is in compliance with tax and labor laws the main concern goes to ensuring that the sub supplies a quality product. And that is where Tactical Tailor was with Haos Sewing.

Remember, Tactical Tailor is an advertiser on SSD but they wouldn’t be if they were the kind of company that KING 5 insinuated that they are on their news report. I wrote this piece because I am sick and tired of the press sensationalizing stories and filing reports about things that they don’t know anything about. Ultimately, anyone could have been the target of a report like this. Neither Tactical Tailor nor J.L. Darling (Rite in the Rain) deserve this kind of broad brush attempt at making them look like they are doing something wrong. During these trying economic times they are some of the few businesses in the area that are hiring folks. Tactical Tailor follows the law. They have to to keep their military contracts.

Based on this story, Tactical Tailor ended their contract with Haos Sewing for cause due to a contract violation, but I also want to point out that I have no idea if Haos Sewing is in violation of any law or ordinance. While there was a lot of implication in the news piece they just didn’t make that case.

KING 5 has already moved on to the next story, but the damage is done. The story began with concern for the victim, Huong Duong but KING 5 didn’t follow up with her. On the other hand, I spoke with Tactical Tailor Director Sales GW Ayers III and he said that they would be happy to offer Huong Duong a job at a full-time wage. Tactical Tailor said this to KING 5 as well, but that fact didn’t make the story. I wonder why.

-The Editor