What are we complaining about?

I have been transfixed to a tv programme on BBC3 called "Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts", it's all about youngsters from the UK who have an interest in the fashion industry who go out to India to see how our cheap clothes are made. You can catch it on BBC/iplayer, it is well worth a watch.

Last week we were introduced to a group of people aged between 18 and 24 who have to go and experience working in the fashion industry in India. Their first job was working in a "high" end factory producing clothes for major brands in the UK. These youngsters got the shock of their life and this was a good operation, it highlighted to me that we are a country of "whingers" and we just don't appreciate what we have.

This week was an even better learning experience for them as they went to work in an outsourced "sweatshop" where the staff work 15 hours a day and sleep on the floor next to their sewing machine. The UK team had 3 days to produce 36 blouses which was 6 blouses each, bearing in mind that the Indian workers produce approx 20 per day. After many tears, complaints and strops the team only produced 15 usable blouses over the three days, pathetic really when they had training and assistance to produce these garments.

We just don't know how good we have it in this Country, and if more of us experienced the Indian way of working I think we would all stop Whinging and get on with being excellent at our jobs.