Re: Nike (fwd)

[jrobles@SCUACC.SCU.EDU]

The interesting thing is that Phil Knight, CEO of NIKE,
spoke at Stanford yesterday
as concerned NGOs such as Global Exchange conducted 
protests.

I am very excited that someone in the debate
community is concerned about the social injustice
occurring in the world. yes it's true, the NIKE that
so many fine academic institutions of excellence 
praise promote in exchange for a pair of shoes and
some athletic gear. This scenario of worker abuse and
exploitation is not unique to Indonesia, it is occurring
in Vietnam, Pakistan, Haiti and other countries in
Southeast Asia with a high tolerance for human rights abuses.
While many of the children and young women that are
employed to produce 99% of the products NIKE 
promotes in the US may earn wages of about $2.20
there are far more that make a miserable $1.80 a day.
A livable wage in Indonesia is $4.25 a day.
NIKE shifts blame to the subcontractors who manage
work conditions and has installed a BOGUS
Code of Conduct in 1992. BUT abuses continue; independant organization
by workers is prohibited, sexual harrassment is common, overtime is forced,
and physical abuse occurs. 
The worst part is that many NGOs and human rights groups have demanded 
that NIKE allow them to perform independant monitoring
of these factories and NIKE REFUSES THE OFFER!!
WHY???
Here at Santa Clara University 
we have started a NIKE unjust labor campaing,
in conjunction with Global Exchange, which includes 
uniting other college campuses in letter writing strategies
aimed at encouraging an increase in awareness. 
we DO NOT ADVOCATE A BAN. 
what we want is for NIKE to live up to the standards of
excllence that the public expects. There are many people that are not
aware of these abusive conditions and 
we strongly believe 
NIKE is in a key position to influence the upgrading
labor practices in emerging market societies. 
Corporations like NIKE can play a crucial role in
the incremental increase in quality of life in 
developing countries. 
we demand that NIKE allow independant monitoring by NGOs to
survey the extent to which the contract is being upheld,
adopt a fair living wage practice for all workers,
and promote conditions at NIKE factories 
that are conducive to the 
empowerment of workers.

If you feel strongly about this also
then i encourage you to
allow us to add your name or your squad to the list
of concerned individuals!!!
or email 
Nike Protest: "nike@saigon.com"
indicating that you would like to sign 
a letter of protest to Phil Knight the CEO of NIKE

It would be rad if the debate community would
come together on issues like these
that are the REAL real world implications
of trade games.

sorry about the length
but i really feel this issue is too important
to ignore.

julissa robles 
santa clara university

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References:

• [PEN-L:9697] Nike (fwd)
• From: "Christopher J. McGowan" <cjm@seattleu.edu>

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