
Issue No 67		18 August 2000

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International

Soccer Pro Tackles Nike

By Tim Connor

Olympic sponsor Nike is under pressure over its human rights record in the run up to the Sydney Games.

Rights campaigners including the TCFUA, Community Aid Abroad-Oxfam Australia and Fairwear want Nike to sign the Homeworkers Code of Conduct - as 120 other fashion companies already have.

Australian campaigners have also linked up with international groups to push the company to allow independent monitoring of rights in Asian contract factories which make Nike product.

Former US professional soccer player Jim Keady will be at the forefront of campaigners' efforts to highlight Nike's poor human rights record.

Keady arrives in Sydney on September 2 to join forces with NikeWatch Campaigners immediately before the Sydney Olympics. His visit includes a series of public events to draw attention to Nike's treatment of its workers. Highlights are a Parliament House debate chaired by Meredith Burgmann and an alternative Olympic opening ceremony on September 11.

Nike is resisting pressure from NikeWatch to make changes in their labour policies. Campaigners are calling on Nike to make known the locations of factories and to allow regular inspections by credible and independent human rights groups. They are also calling on the company to allow workers to make confidential complaints to an independent body.

During August whilst living with Nike factory workers in an Indonesian slum, Keady is attempting his own version of the Olympic marathon. He is living on a Nike factory worker's basic monthly wage (including cash bonuses) of 325 000 Rupiah (Rp) that is about 13 000Rp or $A2.65 per day. Nike reckons this is enough for workers to meet their basic needs and help support other family members or build up some savings. Keady's experience suggests Nike is wrong.

After paying major bills and bus fares a Nike factory worker in Indonesia is left with around 7100Rp a day. Out of this must come meals, at 2500Rp each, clothes, shoes, soap and other necessities.

"The basic wage is simply not enough," says Keady. "The reality is even with 18 - 30 hours overtime every week workers still cannot make ends meet."

Based on interviews with Nike factory workers Jim reports they must work 11-15 hour days just to survive, with few breaks and often in unsafe conditions. Living in the slum and meeting his neighbours who work for Nike, Keady is rethinking his heroes.

"The real heroes are the workers," he says. "They face more hardships and overcome more obstacles than any athlete I've ever met.

US professional soccer play tries to live on Indonesian worker's wages. Read his diary, send him a message www.nikewages.org

NikeWatch needs activists with campaign and media skills over the next few weeks. Contact [email protected]

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Issue 67 contents

Interview: Slyly Selling the Silver
In their recently published book Privatisation, Sell-off? or Sell out? (ABC Books), Bob and Betty Walker took a long hard look at the major government asset sales of the last decade. Here they tell Workers Online what they've learnt.

Politics: Dysfunctional Society
Noel Pearson looks at the plight of Aboriginal people through a prism of class and comes up with a challenging perspective on Aboriginal welfare, law and order and the state of our society.

History: Money Power
Should the People or the Banks Rule? Reserve Bank Governor McFarlane thinks he knows the answer. Eddie Ward was pretty strongly of the opposite view when the ALP introduced the Commonwealth Banking Legislation in 1945.

International: Soccer Pro Tackles Nike
Olympic sponsor Nike is under pressure over its human rights record in the run up to the Sydney Games.

Economics: Globalony
Frank Stillwell looks at the contradictory nature of the globalising economy and fears it is turning into a race to the bottom.

Satire: IVF Debate: Federal Government Tells Lesbians: "Get Fucked"
MELBOURNE, Monday: The Federal Court decision to allow single women and lesbians to use infertility treatment in Victoria has been attacked by the Federal Government, the Catholic Church and by pro-family community groups.

Review: Confessions Of A Union Buster
It's not a new tome but the threat for Australian Unions remains the same if not greater as when this book appeared five years ago.

» 'Shoot to Kill' Powers Under Union Fire

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» Bellicose Joy: Baseball Bats and Tinsel

» Selleys Fight Kicks On

» Fiji To Dominate SPOCTU Summit

» Trade Unionists Stand In ARM Elections

» Sydney Hosts Child Care Conference

» Roboboss Corrigan Straddles Lemon

» Staff Vote With Feet At Commonwealth

» Paying Dues Made Easier

» Telstra Risks Roasting Workers

» East Timor's Year One Celebration

» Senate Applauds Australian Seafarers