Our sponsors Nike make a very small step towards human rights. Tanya
> -----Original Message----- > From: Tim Connor [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 24 October 2003 07:11 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [nikewatch-news] We have to build power among ourselves > > > NikeWatch News - October 2003 > > I have just returned from meetings in Indonesia with people who produce > sports goods for Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Fila, Puma, Asics and other sports > brands. The trip was challenging and emotionally draining but ultimately > inspiring. > > This month's newsletter focuses on 174 young women and men who were fired > on July 16 because they held a 4-day strike. They want their employer to > respect Indonesian laws on wages and overtime, put a stop to intimidation > in their workplace and allow them to form a union. One young > woman told us, > "We have to build power among ourselves to change our conditions and > treatment. And the only way we can really do this is by forming a union". > > Please take 2 minutes to support workers in this factory (called > PT Busana) > by signing on to the web-petition on the Clean Clothes Campaign website at > <http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/03-10-23.php#sign>. Your support will > make a difference. > > ****************************************************************** > ********** > ********************************** > Contents: > 1. Nike in Sri Lanka: Good news - factory agrees to recognise union! > 2. Nike in Australia: Landmark Agreement with Clothing Union > 3. FLA Releases Annual Report on Factories Producing for Nike, Reebok, > Adidas... > 4. US Supreme Court refuses to hear Nike's appeal. Nike vs Kasky settled > out of court. > 5. Urgent Action Required to Support Indonesian Workers > > ****************************************************************** > ********** > ********************************** > 1. Nike in Sri Lanka: Good news - factory agrees to recognise union! > > In recent months, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad has received reports of > harassment, intimidation and threats to the lives of members of the Free > Trade Zones Workers Union (FTZWU) at the Jaqalanka Ltd factory in the > Katunayake Free Trade Zone. The factory produces for Nike and VF > corporation, which owns Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Vanity Fair, Jansport and > other brands. > > The FTZWU reported the following incidents involving serious infringements > of their members' rights: > * That the branch union secretary was assaulted by five unknown men after > he attended a union meeting. > * That one of the women union members was threatened by four > unknown men on > her way home from work on 30th July. > * The factory failed to recognise the union, even though it had 205 > members. The union alleges that by failing to recognise the union the > factory is failing to abide by Sri Lankan labour law. > > Nike asked the Fair Labor Association to investigate these claims and the > union has also been campaigning to persuade the government to properly > enforce Sri Lankan labour law in this case. > > Just this week we received the exciting news that the factory has > agreed to > recognise the union. The full story can be found at > http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/03-10-21.htm > > ****************************************************************** > ********* > 2. Nike in Australia: Landmark Agreement with Clothing Union > > Nike Australia and the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia > (TCFUA), have signed the Sports and Corporate Wear Ethical Clothing Deed. > While this is an important step forward for Australian workers, it is > important to note that it will not benefit workers producing Nike's goods > outside of Australia > > Workers Online reports that under the terms of the deed, Nike accepts that > everyone in Australia producing its product, irrespective of > location, must > receive wages and conditions outlined in the Clothing Trades Award. > > This is a legally binding deed, rather than a voluntary code. This means > that the Deed will become part of Nike's contractual arrangements with > future suppliers. > > The union will be authorised to enter premises of suppliers > without notice, > check wages books, interview employees and carry out safety inspections. > > Oxfam Community Aid Abroad hopes other companies take similar steps to > improve wages and conditions in the Australian clothing industry. > > It's important to remember, however, that less than four hundred workers > produce Nike goods in Australia, compared to half a million in other > countries. Nike needs to apply this level of transparency and cooperation > with workers' organisations throughout their global production chain. > > The full Workers Online article can be found at > http://workers.labor.net.au/features/200307/b_tradeunion_bazza.html > > ****************************************************************** > ********* > 3. FLA Releases Annual Report on factories producing for Nike, Reebok, > Adidas... > > On June 4, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) published its first annual > public report, including the findings from independent audits of factories > producing for Nike, Reebok and Adidas. > > The FLA was founded three years ago to create a uniform code of > conduct and > monitoring process for multinational company supply chains. Every > participating company has pledged to adhere to the FLA Workplace Code of > Conduct throughout its global manufacturing operations, and to agree to > independent monitoring of factory conditions with results to be posted on > the FLA website for public review. > > The FLA's first report has received mixed reviews from human rights > organisations. > > The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) reports, "MSN see it as an important > admission by the leading brands that major and ongoing improvements are > needed at a global scale before minimum labour standards and respect for > fundamental worker rights can be achieved." > > The National Labour Committee (NLC) is strong in its criticism of The FLA > report, in particular the fact that it does not disclose factory names or > addresses. > > The FLA defend this policy as a means to protect workers in factories from > harassment. The NLC states that " without the transparency of full > public disclosure of the names and addresses of the factories > producing the > goods we purchase, child labour and sweatshop abuses will never be > eliminated." > > The NLC's other criticisms of the FLA's reports and auditing process are > that: > > * The quality and consistency of the audits is poor. > * In general, the audit reports give prominence to health and > safety issues > rather than to wages, hours of work or freedom of association. > * The workers' perspective seems to be largely missing from the process. > > The MSN believe that while the FLA's new public reporting program does not > represent full transparency, it is an important step in that direction. > > The full audit results and the public report are available at > www.fairlabor.org > The National Labour Campaign comments are at > http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/fla/ > MSN's latest codes memo is at: > http://www.maquilasolidarity.org./resources/codes/memo14.htm#A > > ****************************************************************** > ********* > 4. US Supreme Court refuses to hear Nike's appeal. Nike vs Kasky settled > out of court. > > The New York Times reports that the US Supreme Court dismissed as > "improvidently granted," Nike's appeal of a California Supreme Court > decision requiring the company to stand trial on a citizen's complaint of > consumer fraud and unfair trade practices for statements it had made in > defence of its overseas labour policies. > > The case began in 1998 when former athlete Marc Kasky sued Nike for "false > advertising" because of public statements the company had made. A Maquila > Solidarity Network article reports that amongst these statements were > claims that "workers in Nike's overseas supply factories made double the > local minimum wage and were protected from physical and sexual abuse." > > Initial cases in the Californian state courts ruled in favour of Nike's > claim that its statements were "non-commercial" speech, and therefore > protected under the First Amendment. The International Herald Tribune > writes that the California Supreme Court overturned that decision in an > appeal, ruling that Nike's statements were "commercial speech for the > purposes of applying state laws barring false and misleading commercial > messages." > > The Supreme Court ruling meant that Nike would have had to defend > itself in > the California courts against Kasky's claim. However, on September 12 > Nike and Kasky issued a joint statement. The parties have decided to > settle out of court, agreeing that investments designed to strengthen > workplace monitoring and factory worker programs are more desirable than > prolonged litigation. > > As part of the settlement, Nike has agreed to make additional > workplace-related program investments totalling $US1.5 million. Nike's > contribution will go to the Fair Labor Association (FLA) for program > operations and worker development programs focused on education and > economic opportunity. > > This case has generated much interest and debate from the > corporate sector, > legal professionals and public interest activists. > > Before settling, Nike had stated that the California Supreme Court's > decision would limit corporations' ability to defend themselves against > public criticism. Nike also claimed that the decision would discourage > companies from voluntarily reporting on their social and environmental > practices. > > The Maquila Solidarity Network, in an article released prior to > the court's > decision, said that "a decision in favour of Nike might be worse, if that > decision further entrenches the view that corporations be treated as > "persons" and enshrines their "right" to mislead the public about those > practices. > > More information on this case can be found on these websites: > http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_ id=1922197 http://reclaimdemocracy.org/nike/press_release_nike_v_kasky_6-26-03.html http://www.maquilasolidarity.org/campaigns/nike/kasky.htm *************************************************************************** 5. Urgent Action Required to Support Indonesian Workers As reported in the introduction, 174 workers who participated in a four-day strike in July at the PT Busana factory have been denied their jobs for the last three months. This case is extremely urgent. Most have now been without income for three months and are struggling to feed themselves and their dependents. Conditions in the factory are marked by forced overtime, verbal and sexual harassment and serious accidents. Women from the factory told me that when they are forced to work very large amounts of overtime it is common for tired workers in the sewing section to make mistakes which result in the needles from the industrial sewing machines going right through their fingers. They told me that when this happens the factory nurse usually pulls out the needle, applies iodine and a bandage and sends the woman back to work, even though this injury causes a great deal of ongoing pain. Photographs of women from the factory, more details of the case and a web-petition you can sign can be found on this web-page: http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/03-10-23.php *************************************************************************** Thanks to Elizabeth Saunders for her assistance in preparing this update. Tim Connor Advocacy Coordinator (Labour Rights) Oxfam Community Aid Abroad 61 (0)403 339 578 Fax: 61 (0)2 9280 3426 PO Box 1711 Stawberry Hills NSW 2012 Level 3, 25 Cooper Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 AUSTRALIA www.caa.org.au/campaigns/nike --------------------------------------------------------------------- The NIKEWATCH-NEWS mailing list. This list receives monthly updates about the international campaign to stop the exploitation of workers making Nikes. To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you'd rather less information, the NIKEWATCH-UPDATES list receives campaign news every three months. 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