That signals a turning point for American companies as they acknowledge that the long-term boost to their reputation from keeping jobs in the country can outweigh the meager cost saving associated with cheap labor.

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The labor cost associated with these employees has been categorized as manufacturing costs.

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According to Associated Press reports, labor represents 80 percent of Post Office expenses.

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Traditional blue-collar labor is often associated with rational control, along with modern high-reliability organizations, such as military, public safety, nuclear energy production, and oil platform operations.

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If the migrant workers needed by the American economy were allowed to enter legally through an orderly process of increased quotas--for temporary and permanent migration--practically all of the negative aspects associated with the immigration of low-skilled labor would cease.

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"Our lawyers concluded that in the absence of a statement to the contrary from Congress, the Fair Labor Standards Act would apply, " domestic policy advisor Bruce Reed told The Associated Press.

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Though Nike committed to fair labor practices more than a decade ago, it still faces problems, including a report by the Associated Press last year that workers for its Converse brand in Indonesia were being slapped by supervisors, forced to stand in the scorching sun for hours at a stretch as punishment for not meeting quotas, and insulted as dogs and pigs by bosses.

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