http://www.illinimedia.com/di/jan_98/jan26/opinions/edit2.html _____________________________________________________________________ Monday, 26 January 1998 The Daily Illini (student newspaper at the U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) EDITORIAL Nike code won't effect change ----------------------------- Our campus administration is inching closer to getting Nike to sign a Code of Conduct driven forward predominantly by the Student Labor Support Network and Students for Real Democracy -- a goal toward which the University and SLSN have been striving for months. However, the question remains: Will a signed piece of paper actually force Nike to change its ways? Although there is no proof against Nike, human rights activist groups have accused Nike of exploiting poor Southeast Asian workers -- forcing them to work in unsanitary, unsafe factories and paying them pennies an hour. But what effect will forcing Nike to sign a new Code of Conduct have when they already have one? The University is in no position to be telling Nike what to do; this deal brings the University thousands of dollars worth of Nike merchandise and millions in revenue. To Nike, however, this deal is just a small part of an extensive marketing scheme. In addition, the University is bound to abide by a ten-year contract it signed with Nike in 1994. There is no way for the University to control Nike. Even if the agreement were to include a provision for an independent agency to monitor the working conditions in NikeMs Southeast Asia factories, it would be impossible to ensure the integrity of this monitor. The outcome of this issue has already been decided by necessity. The basketball team will always need new pairs of shoes, and right now the University has a guarantee that all of its athletes will have comfortable feet for years to come. The University undoubtedly realizes that even the most Herculean effort will not help anyone. Most likely the University is simply trying to portray itself as morally conscious and is attempting to show the SLSN and SRD that it too cares about the plight of the factory workers. Meanwhile, SLSN does not want to lose face by backing off of its crusade and have to go to the trouble of finding a new one. There are four billion impoverished people in the world, and to fight on their behalf is certainly noble. However, it is anything but noble for the administration to use their cause as window dressing on a multi-million dollar deal. --------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1998 Illini Media Company, all rights reserved
