Why Flowers Are So Cheap, And Who’s Paying The Price | True Cost | Business Insider

[@joeyoest1105]

“… now at 46 years old, she can barely walk on her own.” What!?! Looking at her walking, I thought she was at least in her 70s! Really gives you perspective on how good we have it.

[@radamanthys0223]

indeed, her spine is quite fucked up and that vertebrae displacement must hurt like hell it's like a full cm out of alignment

[@popcornkindhearted3510]

I recall working for a packing company for at least 8 hours a day. I tried to be creative as my body grew tired from the repetitive work. So I started kneeling to pick up the goods instead of bending my back, in order to save myself from back pain. And instead of lifting all the heavy products to the table for scanning, I kneel to scan the codes. My boss came over and scolded me for not standing like the other workers did, despite I told him why I did that. He made me feel like I’m not human and it’s my fault to not endure the pain.

[@sydhsydh1084]

I never understand why management always hell bend on making it worse for employees. For jobs like packing, cashiering, isnt it makes sense to just sit down while our hands do the work?

[@CryoSonicGaming]

this is how it feels working for a lot of people, they show 0 respect for their employees, its sad

[@osirusj275]

whats the boss name and company, write it here so that they may get karma...

[@a626aia8]

那就选择离开那里

[@missg8183]

Whenever something is cheap, it is safe to assume that someone somewhere is suffering because of it.

[@milantarika7219]

True tbh

[@Tom_Samad]

Sadly true. 😔

[@syadzafi19]

yes

[@Reality_TV]

Wrong! Whenever something is CONSUMED on any level, it is safe to assume someone somewhere is suffering because of it! Popcorn is great and tasty! Look up how the manufacture of it affects the workers (hint - Popcorn Lung). There is an issue with EVERYTHING made! It doesn't matter if your area is being destroyed to produce it or your body is being destroyed to produce it, everything we enjoy, from cell phones, to shoes, to soft drinks, causes someone else pain!

[@Johnny-tt9gs]

@@Reality_TV You beat me to this comment. I am not a pessimist but I've been watching a lot of these videos lately and you're right. :(

[@wonderlady1422]

The same thing happens with low paying jobs in America too. They over load few employees with a huge amount of work and pressure workers to get it done or fired. That’s every grocery store, pharmacy, fast food and production facilities.

[@user-10021]

I’ve been working at an conveyor belt job for over half a year and I honestly had a lot of times where I thought I would lose my mind and go apeshit just because it was so terrible there. I’m so glad to be outta there. This is why we need more robots that take over these shitty jobs, and shift the workers into the tech field so they have a good job while the dirty work is still being done but in an ethical way

[@wonderlady1422]

@@user-10021 and you think robots is the answer? They shipped the high paying manufacturing jobs to other countries paying them less, leaving America with less jobs. My Toyota was made in Mexico. As Mexico’s job market increased America’s decreased. The poverty rate in Mexico went down while in America it went up so did the crime. What about if they slowed the conveyor belts down? Slowed the production rate down instead of working people to death. What if every country had their own manufacturing and labor forces where work was not over expected but expected? Putting the humanity back in the work force. Instead of slave driving people to early disabilities and sickness. The greedy never have enough and they don’t care who they have to step on to get more. There is not enough technical jobs out there. By the way all the on line sales created a job shortage when all the stores closed that sold goods. It even closed more US manufacturing jobs bc you can buy from any where in the world. The tech jobs is customer service over phones and computers which also can be done any where in the world now. Certain jobs can’t be out sourced but they are bringing people to do them.

[@HE-162]

@@wonderlady1422 and how do you think that convincing businesses to put Americans before profits? They won’t, they will perpetually seek the lowest wage labor possible, and lobby the govt to ensure they are allowed to continue to do so. Even $15/hr is hardly enough to live on, so even if those jobs did come back here, the pay would be dismal. Robots are the answer for many jobs, but only if we can come around to the idea of nationalizing companies and distributing the profits to the citizens instead of a handful of rich guys. Even if that sounds insane…it’s not. There are/have been oil rich countries with a single nationalized oil company, who then paid the profit out to the citizens. Others have used the profit to subsidize the cost of fuel so that the price of it for the citizens is nearly free. There is absolutely no reason that this is possible for most industries, but only if we take them from the hands of a few ultra rich, and bring them into public ownership wherein they’re run for the support and benefit of the public instead of private profit. Worker co-ops are nothing new, just exceedingly rare in our dystopian out of control free market capitalism.

[@thegamingwolf5612]

Didn't know america was that bad my grocery store job isn't that bad

[@wonderlady1422]

@@HE-162 neither one will happen unfortunately.

[@lohroc1014]

People in this comment section: "They should be happy someone is willing to exploit their labor when they could be unemployed." Employers are not doing you a favor for letting you work. And if you're being exploited you absolutely have a right to complain.

[@inabearsuit2425]

actually they are you get money by working, dont work no money theres the favor. complain all you want but at the end of the day they have the almighty dollar you need and youll do what it takes to get it

[@Potatomatoo]

3rd world don't have this luxury

[@MomMom4Cubs]

... and most of the time, they can show you the door. I guess you've never experienced the brutal poverty directly resulting from said complaints, ditto for beatings/mutilations and other reprisals. These things are very real, both inside and outside the USA, for marginalized people. I guess the corporation you work for has great HR. Most of us, especially those lacking a college/vocational degree, are innocent of such luxury and live in places where employment can be terminated at any time for any reason. Must be nice. Don't squander it with concern over that which doesn't matter and self-induced misery.

[@sharronhankins7722]

Damn Right! I'm a human not a robot!😭😭😭😭

[@hydroaegis6658]

Ahahaha this guy really said "let them eat cake"

[@Reality_TV]

Sadly, this is true for EVERY product we use! EVERYTHING! From cell phones, to remote controls, to blankets, to clothing, to shoes, to plates, to flowers! The US doesn't manufacture much. So we can pretend we are "outraged" and chastise the companies for everything, but every time you lift a Coca-Cola to your lips or a Pepsi, every time you type on that keyboard, every time you put on makeup, every time you use your cell phone (no matter where it is assembled in the world), you're using products sourced from companies that do things like this! Some are "slightly" better and some are MUCH worse, but they ALL have practices & policies to squeeze productivity out of their workers. Do you think those few exercises that one plant was doing matter? LOL! No! The only way to stop it is to stop consuming unnecessary stuff. Do you think that is going to happen? NO! It absolutely won't stop! There will always be people low on the totem pole who get taken advantage of for the enjoyment of others!

[@justinp85]

100%. As long as we consume “stuff”‘for the cheapest price…someone is getting exploited..

[@user-10021]

@@justinp85 unfortunately theres also no other option. Most people are in low income category and cant afford anything but the cheapest, while the rich people just get richer and dont have to care. Its an endless cycle

[@Reality_TV]

@@justinp85 - Exactly Justin! People want to act all mad and outraged, yet they buy socks, underwear, shirts and other clothing that are all produced by people in similar conditions. No one wants to think they are somehow part of the problem, but we all are guilty of it! Even MEDICINES! In the US we take prescription medicines that are produced in factories in China and India because there environmental laws are more lax than what we have in the US! We still get our medications when we need them! We don't care. Someone is always being exploited somewhere!

[@ladycommentor2536]

That wont happen... Everybody needs something. And these people needs Money If people stop buying products... The company such as the flower company will go down and they will lose job. Its a give and take. The only thing here.. company should take care of their workers... Give them insurance and pay them well... But we cant stop producing... Probably in the future robots will take over in this kind of work .but the problem is humans will lose job availability....

[@Reality_TV]

@@ladycommentor2536 - Precisely! That's my point. No one is going to stop buying stuff! However, robots ARE going to take over operations like this! It is already happening in other sectors.

[@petrkovacs3191]

See this in companies here in Czech too.. foreing companies builds halls for hundreds of workers just to stand and do the same work just like robots.. I knew several people working there and every single one who was not working on higher posts or in office had health problems. I have a sucky job.. but looking at this video and knowing people around me, I can said that my job is not that bad and that keeps my head up.

[@shainazion4073]

They have to cross-train people in all areas of the flower farm. From cutting, to stripping, to wrapping, to transporting. The human body is not made for repetitive motions continually. By the workers moving each day or two to a different job, the body can adjust to new movements,

[@Carrick0117]

Low chance for huge companies to implement this though

[@AbigailThinks]

this is what I was thinking as I was watching too. Employees could be put on a rotational schedule to reduce prolonged stress on body parts. It could help reduce the frequency of these injuries.

[@radamanthys0223]

not practical from an owner point of view, yield would invariable go down and % of production loss due to errors would also increase, their mindset is: "I can always hire new people" and unfortunately they are right

[@shainazion4073]

@@radamanthys0223 The People would work better, not be in pain or bored, they would ultimately have no issue if an area needed extra workers as everyone would know each others jobs. The short term expenses, would be justified in the long run.

[@radamanthys0223]

@@shainazion4073 as a long term business strat it can work, but those plantation owners just don't give a damn and are constantly searching ways to penny pinch and get more money no matter how fucked their people is. same is true with call center workers here in colombia

[@let_uslunch8884]

I am looking at a flower arrangement right now and I appreciate them more. Manual labor is no joke!

[@lilyflare2]

I've been a cake decorator for 16 years, and I feel her pain. The bakery I currently work at, I stand to work, we get one 15 minute lunch and some days I end up working 12 hours.

[@Carrick0117]

Holy shiet 12 hours?

[@lettucecat3538]

@@Carrick0117 good lord i have scoliosis and i wouldnt be able to endure that shit 😢 can they atleast give u chairs

[@deestupi]

12 he says are common in America. Ask any refinery worker and warehouse worker

[@LuminousSpace]

@@Carrick0117 i have worked more than 24 hours in 7 eleven and 16 hours in coffee bean and tea leaf........, imagine the time taken to commute eat etc, you wont even have time to take care of yourself, now im sitting after surgery with medical leave, feels like the end of the world, getting sick cost a lot of money...... im not even 30 start to have lot of problem.....

[@phillip6189]

12 hours is a normal work day lol.

[@SickmanOfVietnam]

She’s sum it up quite well- most people don’t care because it’s not them

[@thomashirtz]

i feel so sorry for them what horrible comment section though ... how could people think that an industry that produce 70% of workers to be injured is normal and working for them is somehow a favor

[@josiecroix]

I've been scrolling for a while and have yet to see a single comment like that, but several like yours. 🤨 Weird how comment sections like these have minimal negative comments yet the vast majority of comments are "omg, the Audacity of _so many_ rude comments" lol

[@peachylover4598]

@@josiecroix I guess you're blind, i've seen nothing but people bitching about how this isn't really "labor" because they're "simply picking flowers". lol

[@larsinorge8263]

$740,621 billion in flowers?!?! I think the cartels are in the wrong business.

[@ionclaw7340]

I was wondering what number is that..... Is it 740billion, or 740trillion???🤣🤣🤣

[@LeonidasForLIfe]

LOL

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

IonClaw it can't be 740 trillion, I'm pretty sure that's more than the world's GDP.

[@ionclaw7340]

@@Ass_of_Amalek I know..... I was just wondering what they were trying to show(what the actual number was)🤣

[@radamanthys0223]

I heard only 740M for the amount of yearly exports, that equates to 3.3 billion (actual billions not short count billions) in local currency (COP)

[@AnimeShinigami13]

Some of the farms in my area are selling bouquets of flowers THEY grow at the farmer's market. And if you want to grow your own bouquets of flowers you should try growing Zinnias. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Cut and come again has long stems but the plant is small, about two feet. Larger zinnia plants can be 3 feet and the smallest I've heard of are 6 inches.

[@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep]

What is even easier is streptocarpus, a houseplant in the african violet family. It's easily a windowsill plant and blooms all year long under correct care with many flowers on long stems. The flowers last 2-4 weeks as cut flowers and the flowers have a decent size and come in the most amazing colors and patterns. Some are even slightly fragrant.

[@let_uslunch8884]

Farmers markets here do it to but that still doesn't solve these ladies problem when you think about it. They want the work.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

@@let_uslunch8884 Which is why trade education for all is so important regardless of country, gender, sexual orientation, age, faith or mental health status. Only so many stockbrokers or bankers can make a living doing it, but those stock markets and banks can't survive if there's no food and water for their tellers to eat and drink, no gas for them to get to work, no clothes for them to wear and no electricity, plumbing or running water to keep their bank clean.

[@jayleemittens9858]

Humans urge to cut flowers to keep them has always confused me. If you like roses, and have a yard, plant a rose bush. You'll never run out of roses.

[@raj2487]

I love chocolate. Should I grow it ,in my backyard

[@Orchids.and.Endlers]

@@raj2487 I think they meant it in a practical sense. For most people, growing cacao beans isn’t possible. Having a planter with roses is.

[@Orchids.and.Endlers]

@@raj2487 I do agree that not everyone WANTS to keep flowers around permanently and have to worry about their upkeep. So cut flowers do serve an important purpose and are convenient, but it’s a shame more people aren’t willing to/ don’t know how to take care of plants.

[@C0OKI3S]

Ikr but sometimes it’s for someone and they don’t have time to grow roses or they don’t have a yard/garden or ‘soil patch’

[@C0OKI3S]

@@raj2487 roses and chocolate are different, that’s all I’m gonna say as I was going to say something else but you know, I’ll have to explain it to you afterwards

[@CoolMan-ig1ol]

Companies who do this must provide a lifetime insurance for these damages caused by this work. I get that less than 5% of the workers get injured due to this and the other 95% of people should not suffer. But those who get ill must be compensated.

[@theepicsealshow123]

They don't HAVE to do anything. You think workers get rights? Lol

[@lou3998]

The sad reality is that Colombia is heavily influenced by the US in their workers policies, and many of those workers don't get Healthcare, or even just Drinkable water Plus the whole country is full of corruption and at the mercy of the companies money(wich is the reason why they don't have trains anymore for example, between many other things) so politicians allways are pursuing the wellbeing of companies and not the Colombian people Blame late stage capitalism lol

[@CoolMan-ig1ol]

@@lou3998 "Late Stage Capitalism". We have just crossed first stage baby.

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

particularly because making employers pay for work injuries is one of the best ways to make them raise safety standards.

[@lou3998]

@@CoolMan-ig1ol aye, let's hope for chage soon

[@kinotikagwa3783]

It's very sad 😭 that worker was fired after the sweat she gave to that company and I am sad that the only thing she got from that company are injuries that will remain with her forever. That is very sad

[@ALiz86]

😢 this breaks my heart. Even in the US getting help or disability is INCREDIBLY difficult. Even once you have it, there are always more hoops to jump thru. Health insurance companies are assigned to you. They make decisions for a patients care, when the DOCTOR AND PATIENT should be making treatment plans. I hate to see other people going thru this. It is horrible to have such severe medical conditions that effect everything you do. When you can't do the basics for yourself is so hard. I can't verbalize how hard it is physically, mental and emotionally. All of that also effects how it makes you feel about yourself.

[@avuncular300]

Praying that the lady featured here, will receive all the necessary help towards a better life.

[@gisellparra7017]

Nice thought but unfortunately that's probably not gonna be possible for a long time, here in Colombia the healthcare system is so bad it might as well be nonexistent unless you have a lot of money and pay for it, my father got injured on his hand pretty badly 2 years ago to the point they had to put pins to hold the bones in place, when it was time to remove them the company said they had to call him for the appointment and they didn't call for a whole month, they kept doing this through all his recovery and even to this day his appointments keep getting delayed, it has gotten to the point that we have the saying "You die waiting for the EPS (Borrowing health company) to attend you, even getting the pension here is a hassle and some politicians wanted to extend the hours and age limit required, the only thing we can hope is that the new administration changes things which coincidentally are this Sunday

[@adriennefloreen]

I have two suggestions. The first is campaign to change the laws in Colombia so people don't have to get a doctors note every two weeks and a team of doctors to co operate to get benefits. That reminds me of what they did to me in California in the USA in college. I was failed or dropped from classes due to a rule that it would only be an excused absence if I got a doctor's note before the time the class started. I had severe periods, some of my classes started at 8am. I was told for this to be an excused absence a doctor would have to write down on paper I was too sick to attend class. One doctor told me that he couldn't say I was in pain, he could only say I said I was, because no medical test could detect pain and quantify it. So he wrote down "Adrienne states that she is in too severe pain from her period to attend class," then the college refused to accept this as a valid doctors note and called it a "hearsay note." Doctors do this to people, especially women, worldwide. Often the doctors are working with the system and have some kind of incentive to prevent women from obtaining care or benefits. The second is to ensure the people working in these factories have better quality and sharper scissors or knives. We can hear the sound of hacked chopping throughout your video as people talk about how their bodies were injured from the hard work. Tell these corporations to buy higher quality tools and make sure they're kept sharp. Cutting 8 flowers a minute shouldn't injure you, this is happening because the tools are so dull that they are having to use far more force and traumatizing their bones and muscles due to it. Simply providing sharp tools would reduce the rate of these injuries. On a side note, many flower farms in the USA are just like this and hire mostly illegal immigrants.

[@lou3998]

The sad reality is that none of that is going to happen, Colombian economy depends very much on exports and if they did this, costs would increase and flowers exports would likely move somewhere else making the country poorer Plus they are heavily influenced by USA in their work policies, so many companies don't even provide Healthcare to their workers Minimum wages are very low also, arround 250 euros a month The main problem I'd say is late stage capitalism, everyone wants flowers, bananas coffee,avocado or gasoline at cheap prices, so companies are going to go to the extreme to exploit workers somewhere else to cut costs, sell cheap and still make a profit Se also the banana or Cacao industry, full of workers in nearly slavery conditions, being sprayed day and night with chemicals, with nearly no pay and no future, all so people from rich countries can keep their 15 cents Banana or 25 cent chocolate bar, even in the winter (I only know German prices, sorry)

[@alexrusso6503]

Cutting 8 flowers a minute is 480 flowers an hour and in a 10 hour day is 4800, let's say 5 days a week = 24000 flowers for 52 weeks a year= 1,248,000 flowers hand cut yearly by one person. Most ppl are not ambidextrous meaning one hand is going to be doing most of the cutting/chopping.... just the fast repetitive motion at that rate for any period of time will cause issues especially extended periods- our bodies arnt meant to do tasks on repeat like that. Even machines need maintenance to keep working after so long but it's easy to replace some gears not so easy to fix a person whose ligaments and bones are failing. The only way to improve this without losing jobs is to reduce individual production demands and hire more ppl to cut. So 8 flowers every 10 minutes would be 124,800 flowers a years and you would need to hire 9 more ppl to make the same amount as one person does now. So consumers would have to pay more or executives be less greedy! I'm sure the pain issues would still remain but hopefully you wouldn't see the damage until these ppl are much much much older!

[@adriennefloreen]

@@alexrusso6503 I have nerve damage in my hands and the only way I am able to do numerous tasks is by getting the sharpest tools I can afford and keeping them sharp. I can cut meat thinner than all our local butchers because I have a good knife and it cuts without any trauma to my hand and almost zero effort, and scissors that cut without any throwback that impacts my hand for cutting plants. If they have the right tools, which the corporation will have to spend more money for, and keep them sharp, they will have less injuries related to repeated trauma to the hands over time, it is just a fact. How do you think 80 year old sushi chefs still masterfully cut fish into sushi? They wouldn't be able to if they were using old, dull knives that traumatized their hands and barely cut the fish. Better quality and sharper tools alone could go a long way to help these employees not get injured.

[@alexrusso6503]

@@adriennefloreen better tools would definitely help but a sushi chef isn't working nearly at the speed these ppl are. Also there's a variety in the cuts and movements they have to make. Where this is classic assembly line type work. The speed and quantity is just too much even with better tools. There are a lot of ppl who have had trades which worked with their hands and yes better tools lower chances of injury in any form but the injuries related to overuse and deterioration remain. For some it's worse than others obviously but the human body is just not made to make repeat actions at this rate(quantity, speed/time) think of seamstresses who have issues with their hands after decades of sewing. Or a typist. Both are not too physically demanding but damaging over time. The point is tho to get decades before pain starts and they are unable to continue. Which isn't happening here. Yes bad tools are only adding to the issue but it won't solve it.

[@jnewcomb1395]

@@alexrusso6503 My Father is a 81 year old carpenter (retired at 55) who can’t button his shirt or tie his shoes due to 30-years of repetitive motion using his hands for work.

[@tabora_]

This is how it is for wholesale plants. I work at one of the biggest wholesale nurseries in the East Coast and we literally had to pull over 5000 plants and move them all to different beds in 3 hours yesterday. We get overtime, but thats ONLY on Fridays now. We don't get paid enough for this shit

[@d.k.1394]

I am here 4 you

[@Maximus-n7v]

It's sad that even in the Netherlands a lot of foreign employes get treated a bit worse. Of course not at every company but still to many. ( Horticulture sector btw )

[@cheesedoesgaming6088]

Definitely due to “educational” differences probably

[@Maximus-n7v]

@@cheesedoesgaming6088 Not even, some people are just xenophobic. Lots of foreign workers I worked with were all very good workers.

[@zeineb8870]

They take advantage of their lack of knowledge of the language and of the country to take advantage of them, happens in Denmark too

[@Maximus-n7v]

@@zeineb8870 its very inhumane :'(

[@zeineb8870]

@@Maximus-n7v yes :/ there should be more regulations to protect workers

[@theotheleo6830]

So stop buying flowers? Then, they'll starve. How's that gonna help?

[@mnf2139]

I guess the only ways are unions, strikes, forced actions to improve its environment and others

[@Kathakathan11]

They will find another job, it’s fine.

[@shawnsg]

Did someone say stop buying flowers? Wanna make up some more nonsense to get faux outraged about?

[@OrganicInk_spl]

Did you even watch the video?

[@pjj12345789]

She was wearing flowers on her skirt to smh must really love them 🌹

[@majie1018]

I have much sympathy for these ppl. Unfortunately, humans treat each other without compassion, while profits and productivity are paramount. Pets are treated more Humanely than humans. Humans are disposable. I can say this first hand. All the Best to the ladies.

[@marythr2617]

Maybe allow only a certain amount of hours worked per day? Some companies that employ cleaning ladies do not let them work over a certain amount of hours per week, and that by itself prevents injuries overtime but it also keeps the employees eternally as a part-time employee so they do not receive benefits. Complicated balance to find.

[@FinancialShinanigan]

Sadly, every manufacturing repetitive job has these health disadvantages

[@angelmartinez8778]

Omg!! Really!!! theres people out there working day & night back breaking hard asf work.. alot harder than packing cutting flowers..but not complaining about the back breaking agonozing pain they are suffering from🙄 Any work is hard but this work isn't as bad as these people make it out to be.

[@ebarshin]

Factories like these are all over the US. Yes there are health concerns, but replacing these people with actual robots will only eliminate their jobs...

[@josiecroix]

I never understood why people gave flowers just for them to die. Weird symbolism there and they can't even be sentimental. This is my advice: If your partner loves plants (as so many of us do), buy them a plant that can grow in their environment. I don't want some rotting decoration. I want something that I can grow and cherish, just like a relationship should be. 🙂

[@DJ-bq4rv]

If you want to, you can actually grow the roses! But I don't think people know that they can.

[@kedarbarve5884]

Business Insider , Here are some suggestions that could be passed on to the Floral Companies & Insurance Companies : (1) Microbiological Chair : Used in Pharmaceutical especially Antibiotics Production Companies . It is a uneven chair that allows workers to take rest yet not doze off . Those production shifts require 10 - 12 hrs maintenance during antibiotics making . It takes care of leg problems & spinal issues in long run . (2) Make it compulsory for those women or male workers to take Multi Vitamins Tablet at least Twice a Week . Constant use of muscles depletes certain enzymes . Thus Multi Vitamins Tablet can rectify or slow down the muscle loss issue significantly . Ordering in bulk may reduce further costs . (3) Those Cardio exercises are a good idea , continue with the same .

[@serenevalor]

Awesome suggestions 👏 Hope Insider Business sees this and passes your suggestions along to the companies.

[@kedarbarve5884]

@@serenevalor , Thanks for the compliment .

[@imxploring]

EVERY job that involves physical labor has its risks. But then again jobs that don't.... like sitting behind a desk have other risks.

[@Kathakathan11]

Desk jobs are risky too, as you said. People just ignore the exploitation of ghost workers of Facebook and Amazon. These people have to censor content, the amount of inhumanity they see is devastating mentally

[@anthonygreenfield123]

Yes, desk jobs cause obesity and cardiovascular disease from lack of movement

[@wll9566]

This is just stupid, if markets like the US didn’t but these flowers then 80,000 people would be out of jobs. Their working conditions are worse then others but I think being able to provide for you and others based off money from other countries is better than no job at all.

[@Whipporwhill]

No, sorry, you're wrong. Flower farmers in the United States were put out of business & totally lost their incomes & jobs when our government dropped tariffs on imported flowers. American flower farmers would be able to thrive & create jobs producing flowers domestically if this ridiculous maneuver had not hamstrung them & devastated our industry in order to create this slave labor market in South America.

[@mumbaiglimpses5761]

The onus of this should be on the importers. They should only import from companies offering insurance to their employees and be willing to pay premium for it.However in an ultra capitalist society peoples well being is the last concern all these countries would care about is getting the cheapest deals. This exploitation has been done across the globe over the years.

[@mumbaiglimpses5761]

@@bluehelmet314 I personally feel the good achieved through insuring your employee far outweighs the slight monetary implications of few fraudulent claims if any. In health and accident insurance not sure if you are aware a premium is paid per month by the employer/employee in part or full and the claim process is verified and compensation provided by the insurance company not the employer. Not having insurance and arguing in favour of that to be honest doesnt seem too bright a thing 😅

[@mumbaiglimpses5761]

@@bluehelmet314 Not sure if you are used to talking outside of context. Reread my comments again all I say is the onus is on the importers to ensure their imports are sourced ethically and ensuring that insurance is there is paramount to it.

[@TattoosAndGin]

You convinced me, I will not buy flowers ever again. I hate the idea that I am guilty of causing so much pain to the poor workers. God bless you workers, better luck next time.

[@edyann]

I'd rather just go to a nice restaurant. That'll do it for me.

[@Boo-pv4hn]

This sort of content id like to see more of!

[@kumaragurusubramanian581]

One thing that I noticed personally in manufacturing companies and here is that there is no chairs or places to sit in the production area. They just didn't want u to sit. You have to stand the hole day off.

[@Ksb88]

My heart breaks for these people. I did housekeeping for 13 years and my back paid the price. Thankfully I have a low impact job now but these workers need to be protected better!

[@tuktuk3142]

Nice but i never realised that one bundle of flowers took that much dedication.i love flowers even in my house i have flower's just for a beauty i never plucked a flower.

[@fortytwo244]

the human cost of anything, welcome to planet earth

[@traceyi.7461]

It’s a video about the grueling labor in this specific industry. More information about these things never hurt anybody so why complain with your comment? Education about physical labor is important for literally anybody in any workforce in any country. Your ignorance is pitiful.

[@fortytwo244]

@@traceyi.7461 name one industry that doesn't have a human cost, I'll wait

[@traceyi.7461]

@@fortytwo244 There isn’t one, but not everyone is knowledgeable so this information could be useful to those who want to know, or didn’t know. Just because things are “common sense” or just happen to occur on earth as you say, doesn’t mean it’s insignificant. Having a deeper understanding of a industry you may be interested in or just came across can be beneficial (sometimes it may not be) but I can hardly see anything wrong with this video and what it presenta

[@sharronhankins7722]

​@@traceyi.7461 Yes knowledge is power

[@fortytwo244]

@@traceyi.7461 I never said it's insignificant or that people don't need to know or learn about it, I'm stating the fact that almost every industry today is built on the cost it has on the humans involved... and I never said there's anything wrong with this video, you need to chill your balls, nutsack

[@anastasiak8996]

3:17 Bu11 sh1t !!! 480 flowers an hour * 12 hour workday = 1,800 flowers a day

[@Books-by-me]

These types of industries should provide health insurance to their workers.

[@kathryncarter6143]

Similar things happen in the US due to people having to sit prolonged hours working at all the computers.

[@Mrs.NicholsPorVida]

These industries have pulled millions of people out of horrible poverty. Is there any good in that?

[@NeighborhoodBasketCase]

This makes me think twice about what I do at work

[@RHTQ1]

Praying for these workers and all elsewhere. We need to do better, and appreciate the products that we have enough that exploitation for cheap prices isn't seen as normal :(

[@gm2353]

So what should we do? Raise prices so less people can afford them? You do realize that you could make a documentary like this. On basically any and every job that involves physical manual labor. Regardless of which country it's done in or which market it's meant for.

[@colt0110]

I dnt think the problem is cheap flowers; this video is miss-representing the problem. The problem is worker rights and knowledge. Companies all over the world will over work an employee if they could, hence it's important to have unions to protect worker rights and fight for better working conditions. Plus workers can be greedy too, taking more hours on the job to earn more even if it's illegal.

[@iamdanyc93]

Business Insider is going crazy with the white guilt, but as always this is a multi faceted problem.

[@msaparajita849]

Now I am even more skeptical about buying flowers, but on the other hand, it's someone's livelihood 😢

[@HideorEscape]

Buy live flowers that are in pots. Don't buy single use flowers.

[@mritunjaybharti3555]

Even a flower in my hand gone through off so much pain. We love you please make this world a better place. Vasudev kutumba Kam in hindu mythology it means (the world is one).🇮🇳

[@jaykerzp3643]

This is especially scary to me because I have a job in manufacturing. I manufacture paper bags for restaurants. I pack 100,000-200,000 bags per day. I do the same repetitive task from the start of my shift to the end. I haven’t even worked there for a month and I already have to take pain killers so that I can manage the excruciating pain enough to do my job. I work 6 days a week because they are understaffed and behind on producing. My hands and elbows hurt so badly sometimes, I can’t even crawl. Doesn’t sound that bad but you’d be surprised how much crawling you do in a day. Sometimes my back hurts so badly, I can’t stand up straight. Sometimes my toes hurt so badly, I can’t bend them. Both of my big toes are partially numb, which started soon after I got this job. They have been this way for weeks and show no signs of getting better. Despite all of this, I do not take pain killers on my day off because I don’t want to overuse them. On my only day off, I usually sleep as much as I can to heal before I start work the next day, but sometimes I like to do something special, like go out to eat or have a bbq. I have started a business and I’m hoping to become self employed soon, though I have had some unexpected setbacks. I can’t say how much longer I have to work for my employer(who I will not mention to protect them), but I hope it isn’t very long.

[@inbarasansamidurai7974]

Makes you realise and appreciate all that you have in life. And that this body is temporary and it will breakdown regardless of what you may do or try.

[@realnaveen]

Flowers and plants are my strength- neurotic gardener💚

[@patriciablue2739]

FSF certification if you must buy these. The people who should feel guilty are the corporations that behave like this.

[@angelmartinez8778]

My oldest son has a remodling bussiness..he is a contractor..he is an employed fire fighter in one town..a vollunteer in another..and has a dog breeding kennel bussiness..has 4 bio kid's & adopted his wifes niece..takes care of his family..home & fixes his own vehicle's..he works non stop few hrs sleep & never heard a complaint once. How he does it? Tf if i know💁

[@TastySchu4]

I have many rose bushes in my yard, front & back. I've never been a fan of the floral business for some reason. I enjoy cutting a few occasionally from my rose bushes. I even told my husband years ago it's just something I don't enjoy having money spent on via florists. He bought me rose bushes for years & I'm so grateful. But these poor people, women, who have to work so hard really makes my heart go our to them 😥💔😕.

[@TheSongwritingCat]

I would also rather have plants than fresh cut flowers. But I'm not sure it helps people working under these conditions if everyone decides to stop buying flowers.

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@masdchannel6655]

this breaks my heart poor lady😢😢

[@lascaux4497]

This is why you shouldn't be that dedicated or devout to any companies as they can replace you anytime at most times even inhumanely

[@serenevalor]

Hey, Insider Business. How can we reach Laura and her family? I'd like to help her if I can. In fact, I'm sure there are other people here in the comments who would like to help too. Please let us know if there is some sort of funding campaign for her. I want her to have a safe and comfortable life. It's not fair that she has to go through all this. My heart is breaking for her.

[@dead_or_alive2649]

The more workers fight in these developing countries for better wages/safety, the more these companies are incentivized to convert to AI. Most left the western countries because of the lower paid wages and not manufacturing anything here has been devastating to cities all around the western countries. Of course the people deserve decent working environments but I do wonder what will happen when there isn’t but a handful of jobs available once all the companies do switch to AI? The wage gap widens everyday and our elites see us only as peasants to make money off... pretty much how it’s been seen the creation of time....

[@yveslaingui457]

Big companies making profits and not paying their workers a fair wage so they don’t need to work such long hours. Flowers will be more expensive but at least the humans in the process will be better off

[@lindsay6299]

You know what the really sad part of this is that many countries buy these good in mass quantities sometimes way more then needed. Then they are just throw them away if they don’t sell or need to make room for more products.

[@hieptruong5222]

i have never in my life bought flowers for anyone hence the reason i am still single but after watching this video i saved lives lol

[@magnificentgentleman2805]

In a few years: "Flower costs soar, women most affected."

[@hylacinerea970]

child labor is also present in US labor, i heard of a story from a lao-american who said he would labor all day in summer tulip fields with no shade or water for 12 or more hours… at 9 years old

[@Djellowman]

The Human Cost Of Flower Producer/Reseller Greed. There, fixed the title for you. You're welcome, np really :)

[@camiloguzman1801]

There's no way to make machines that make the work easier for flower workers?. Heartbreaking, all i have to Say😱😡🥺🤐

[@LastTruth1]

Stretching can honestly go a long way. And use legs instead of back to bend. Same happens on the fields and at minimum wage jobs.

[@houstonwells3404]

4 hour shifts. Raise prices. Pay more. Reduce greed. Care. You're welcome.

[@aloha_amen3049]

Man... these holidays are backed by some darkness...

[@chaliboy-wf7ol]

my dads friend has 12 herniated disc’s, its a miracle that he can still walk

[@kunalvarshney9927]

I always wondered how the flowers are kept alive for so many days right from plucking it to selling it

[@richarddelanet]

Working practices need to be lifted to an optimum. Once you're past about 45, stuff starts going wrong.

[@vinod2879]

I don't know about yours. But in my state (Hyd, Telangana, India) They're expensive.

[@matthewjordaan5023]

0:37 dude, grandma is dripped out with the yeezeys...

[@christinecorrrea5402]

High end fashion usually gets thrown away and sent to poorer countries. Yeezy's are garbage shoes anyway.

[@nelpe9703]

This exploitation of workers (in every industry branch!!!) & the environment by the greedy companies, will have to end! It depend on US the customer, how soon & thorough that will be. A word to the workers: God looks at the exploytation & is disgusted! He collects all your prayers & tears! To him each & everyone of you is VERY PRECIOUS& he has NOT forgotten or left you🙏💝. Soon this will have to end & you all fairly compensated!

[@jamesjohnson2469]

Those poor women workers ruined lives so we can purchase cheap flowers for artificially commercial promoted holidays. Greed and discrimination drive these criminal companies. God bless these poor souls.

[@HannaARTzink]

I am now sorry i have bought roses at a supermarket. Now, retired, i am planting and growing my own flowers, often from seed.

[@Mythical4227]

I’ve always wondered about this, actually.

[@fortytwo244]

giving flowers to people should be one of those human traditions we put in the past and move on

[@user-mc5vy2vk5n]

The nicest bunch of flowers I got was broccoli head. 💚 Since broccoli, cauliflowers, artichokes and some other vegetables ARE technically flowers, even if not blooming yet, I wish it would get more common to give someone broccoli wrapped in nice paper. People are giving fake flower bunches made out of jelly candies (think of haribo, but another shapes than bears), so why not something actually useful, tasty and healthy?

[@user-10021]

I think it should continue but with self picked flowers instead. Like we did as kids

[@josiecroix]

@@user-10021 That's so cute.

[@fortytwo244]

@@user-10021 where you going to self pick your flowers?

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

ABC XYZ if it's for decoration, make that broccoli romanesco.

[@skiphopflipflopdripdrop]

Heartbreaking 💔

[@mandeep3.14]

What isn’t connected to such suffering, exploitation, etc nowadays? smh 😢. Shame on these inhumane and greedy employers.

[@CarolinaRodriguez-jf3hj]

This is so biased! I am Colombian, and the flower industry has been a great solution to the economical crisis. They employ thousands of people and are very responsible. If someone is a single mother they also receive an economical aid from the government. If people stop buying flowers thousands of families will end up in economical stress. Please research well before demonizing a market by an individual's story

[@MsLindamee]

Anyone would think this is new. For many years I worked in a hosiery factory, sat down for at least 7 hours a day, now I have a degerate spine problem. I don't like it but Its the price we pay to earn a living. This video makes out that its only in this job, this country that its happening, it happens all over the world, its called earning a living.

[@catfishbilly3.765]

Flowers aren’t cheap at all 😂 I got to my local Kroger or other grocery stores and they are $18 for the cheapest bouquet of flowers. They’re not roses or anything nice, just cheap flowers I could probably go find and pick myself. Then you get to buy a $15 vase that you could get at dollar tree for $1.25

[@shihtzusrule9115]

if you have back pain that radiates down your leg. It MIGHT be sciatica, inflammation involving the sciatic nerve but more likely is a disc encroaching on a nerve and you can't ignore that. Insurance companies might make it so you have to go through several therapies (that aren't going to work) to get to the one that will, like with carpal tunnel - you need a release but they do a series of injections first and pain management and anti-inflammatories, maybe therapy. One injection is usually diagnostic and it is done to diagnose.

[@gm2353]

So what should we do? Raise prices so less people can afford them? You do realize that you could make a documentary like this. On basically any and every job that involves physical manual labor. Regardless of which country it's done in or which market it's meant for. This youtube channel should be renamed. "Let's find another thing to blame Americans and "climate change " on.

[@ravendaughterofathenalover1600]

It's the same way at Amazon. Yet isn't everyone happy to have all those items shipped to you in two days or less?

[@thisguy73]

The robots will eventually replace all repetitive jobs so in 20 years this won't be an issue. Not sure how most of the world will survive without income but as long as the corporations do well that's all that matters in America.

[@iamdanyc93]

There will most likely be universal basic income, that’s really what the covid relief check was.

[@MnMnBahr.]

Well you can say the same for tailors/even virology lab technicians during covid were working (pipetting) like crazy

[@مصطفىالقرشي-ك1ك]

1:04 American politicians didn't want any drugs competitors.. They had their hands and still on that market.

[@OnTheRoadAF]

I THOUGHT THEY COULD TALK ABOUT THE KENYAN FLOWER INDUSTRY. SAME PREDICAMENTS... I WAS RIGHT THEY COULD TALK ABOUT IT.

[@LuisLopez-bl3bg]

Obviously you come here just to tlk about your problems not thinking what anybody else goes through your not the only one that has a tough life

[@helloandforeverbyehelloaga3872]

As a Colombian I can say many people are exploded by outside country’s and yet we are a 3 world country

[@balance3201]

Would love a few in my garden

[@markhgillett]

This report is full of inaccurate information. Columbia started producing flowers in the 1970’s. The US had flowers on the list of developing countries. Working conditions in the flower industry are no different than any others around the world. Columbia had a superior climate for flower production over US greenhouse producers. Much of Europes cut flower production is now in Africa. Business insider is just a propaganda machine

[@arzyfauzy9670]

HNP can heal without surgery..i paralized for almost 3 month ..i feel pain on my whole body..thanks god i can heal just with chiropractic..

[@JohnAltenburg]

I"m making flowers from craft paper for valentines day from now on.

[@Reptiliomorph]

Well, I'm growing my own flowers now.

[@d.k.1394]

Heal the world...make it a better place

[@ekagage]

Oh!!! This looks like where Bouqs sources their inventory.