Final answer:
The work practices associated with low-cost outsourced manufacturing are characterized by excessive hours that threaten workers' health and restricting their rights to unionize, which can result in dire working conditions and safety issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
Work practices closely associated with low-cost outsourced manufacturing include excessive hours of work that threaten health and the restriction of the rights of workers to join independent trade unions.
Outsourced manufacturing often involves low-skill labor, which tends to accept lower wages, leading to employees enduring long hours at reduced pay. Additionally, the right to unionize, which is a crucial avenue for advocating for worker rights and safety, is frequently limited in these environments. The increased outsourcing of manufacturing to countries with less stringent labor laws has reduced the number of high-paying jobs and has given rise to sweatshops with poor working conditions.
The labor-intensive nature of such jobs and the commitment to keeping costs low often result in employees working long hours, sometimes under duress, with insufficient breaks and healthcare resources. These conditions pose a significant risk to health and safety, as has been evidenced by tragic events such as the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh.