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{{Short description|Accusations that Nike operates sweatshops}} |
{{Short description|Accusations that Nike operates sweatshops}} |
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[[Nike, Inc.]] has been accused of using [[sweatshops]] and worker abuse to produce [[footwear]] and apparel in East Asia. |
[[Nike, Inc.]] has been accused of using [[sweatshops]] and worker abuse to produce [[footwear]] and apparel in East Asia. |
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After rising prices and the increasing cost of labor in [[Korea]]n and [[Taiwan]]ese factories, Nike began contracting in countries elsewhere in Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nisen|first=Max|title=How Nike Solved Its Sweatshop Problem|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-nike-solved-its-sweatshop-problem-2013-5|date=2013-05-09|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Fritz|first=Rachel Grace|date=October 2018|title=From Sweatshops to Sustainability: The Transformation of Nike, Inc|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ |
After rising prices and the increasing cost of labor in [[Korea]]n and [[Taiwan]]ese factories, Nike began contracting in countries elsewhere in Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nisen|first=Max|title=How Nike Solved Its Sweatshop Problem|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-nike-solved-its-sweatshop-problem-2013-5|date=2013-05-09|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Fritz|first=Rachel Grace|date=October 2018|title=From Sweatshops to Sustainability: The Transformation of Nike, Inc|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334388154|journal=Montclair State University Research}}</ref> It sub-contracted factories without reviewing the conditions, based on lowest bid. It was not until 1991, when a report by Jeff Ballinger was published detailing their insufficient payment of workers and the poor conditions in their [[Indonesia]]n factories, that these sweatshops came under the media and human rights scrutiny that continues to today.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Robertson|first=Lara|date=2020|title=How ethical is Nike?|journal=Good on You}}</ref> |
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In 1996, [[Life magazine]] ran a reportage on [[child labor]] that included a shocking photo of a 12-year-old Pakistani boy sewing a Nike football. Nike has strongly denied the claims in the past, suggesting the company has little control over sub-contracted factories. Beginning in 2002, Nike began auditing its factories for occupational health and safety. |
In 1996, [[Life magazine]] ran a reportage on [[child labor]] that included a shocking photo of a 12-year-old Pakistani boy sewing a Nike football. Nike has strongly denied the claims in the past, suggesting the company has little control over sub-contracted factories. Beginning in 2002, Nike began auditing its factories for occupational health and safety. |
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Backlash and its public relations impact forced the company to change methods, improve conditions, and begin implementing social responsibility reports in 2005.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Sankey|first=Ann|date=2018|title=A History of |
Backlash and its public relations impact forced the company to change methods, improve conditions, and begin implementing social responsibility reports in 2005.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Sankey|first=Ann|date=2018|title=A History of Nike's Changing Attitude to Sweatshops|url=https://glassclothing.com/a-history-of-nikes-changing-attitude-to-sweatshops/|journal=Glass Clothing}}</ref> Nike has since began initiatives to improve their factory conditions.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Harrison, Scorse|first=Anna, Jason|date=March 2004|title=The Nike Effect: Anti-Sweatshop Activists and Labor Market Outcomes in Indonesia|url=https://economics.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Workshops-Seminars/Development/harrison-040322.pdf|journal=Yale Economics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hart|first=Rosanne|date=2015|title=Nike and the Sweatshop Debate: A Public Relations Crisis Seeking Resolution in the Principles of Images Repair Theory|journal=Kent State University|via=Research Gate}}</ref> |
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Since March 2021, a coalition of over 200 unions and labour rights organizations called upon brands to negotiate directly with unions in the sector on an enforceable agreement on wage assurance, severance, and basic labour rights to fill the pandemic-era wage gap, ensure workers who are terminated receive their full severance, support stronger social protections for all workers, and to ensure basic labour rights are respected. |
Since March 2021, a coalition of over 200 unions and labour rights organizations called upon brands to negotiate directly with unions in the sector on an enforceable agreement on wage assurance, severance, and basic labour rights to fill the pandemic-era wage gap, ensure workers who are terminated receive their full severance, support stronger social protections for all workers, and to ensure basic labour rights are respected. |
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After initial reports, advocacy groups began looking at the conditions of the factories in which [[Nike, Inc.]] products were made. They found that the employees were commonly the poor inhabitants of the area surrounding the factory. |
After initial reports, advocacy groups began looking at the conditions of the factories in which [[Nike, Inc.]] products were made. They found that the employees were commonly the poor inhabitants of the area surrounding the factory. |
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The heads of the factories were typically American or European Nike contractors, who lived outside of the factory country and did not have any sort of relations with their employees. The duty of supervision was given to an upper-level factory worker. The authority of the supervisor included enforcing factory rules and maintaining efficiency standards.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Knight|first=Graham|author2=Don Wells|year=2007|title=Bringing the Local Back In: Trajectory of Contention and the Union Struggle at Kukdong/Mexmode|journal=Social Movement Studies|volume=6|issue=1|pages=83–103|doi=10.1080/14742830701251369}}</ref> |
The heads of the factories were typically American or European Nike contractors, who lived outside of the factory country and did not have any sort of relations with their employees. The duty of supervision was given to an upper-level factory worker. The authority of the supervisor included enforcing factory rules and maintaining efficiency standards.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Knight|first=Graham|author2=Don Wells|year=2007|title=Bringing the Local Back In: Trajectory of Contention and the Union Struggle at Kukdong/Mexmode|journal=Social Movement Studies|volume=6|issue=1|pages=83–103|doi=10.1080/14742830701251369|s2cid=143050646 }}</ref> |
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The findings of factory investigations show that the supervisor often oversteps their duties. The laws protecting the workers are ignored in favor of cutting costs and lowering health standards. This is possibly because inspectors and politicians are paid off by factory supervisors in order to limit governmental interference. The leaders relayed messages to military and police units to overlook the conditions in factories so that the illegal environment could remain open and functioning. They also were warned to watch for signs of [[labor activism]] near the factories to prevent workers from aligning with one another for better conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rodriquiz-Garavito|first=Cesar|year=2005|title=Global Governance and Labor Rights: Codes of Conduct and Anti-Sweatshop Struggles in Global Apparel Factories in Mexico and Guatemala|journal=Politics & Society|volume=33|issue=2|pages=203–223|doi=10.1177/0032329205275191}}</ref> |
The findings of factory investigations show that the supervisor often oversteps their duties. The laws protecting the workers are ignored in favor of cutting costs and lowering health standards. This is possibly because inspectors and politicians are paid off by factory supervisors in order to limit governmental interference. The leaders relayed messages to military and police units to overlook the conditions in factories so that the illegal environment could remain open and functioning. They also were warned to watch for signs of [[labor activism]] near the factories to prevent workers from aligning with one another for better conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rodriquiz-Garavito|first=Cesar|year=2005|title=Global Governance and Labor Rights: Codes of Conduct and Anti-Sweatshop Struggles in Global Apparel Factories in Mexico and Guatemala|journal=Politics & Society|volume=33|issue=2|pages=203–223|doi=10.1177/0032329205275191|s2cid=154374771 }}</ref> |
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In 1991, activist Jeff Ballinger began publicizing the conditions of the Indonesian factories, which lead to larger media coverage of Nike's overseas operations. His reports included claims that an Indonesian worker was illegally working for 14-cents an hour, below national minimum wage. |
In 1991, activist Jeff Ballinger began publicizing the conditions of the Indonesian factories, which lead to larger media coverage of Nike's overseas operations. His reports included claims that an Indonesian worker was illegally working for 14-cents an hour, below national minimum wage. |
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=== Protests against Nike === |
=== Protests against Nike === |
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In 2003, |
In 2003, MicroRevolt was founded by [[Cat Mazza]] a textile artist who engages in [[Craftivism]] as part of an [[anti-sweatshop movement]]. MicroRevolt created a Nike Blanket Petition. The textile artwork is a 15-foot wide handmade blanket of the Nike swoosh with 4 x 4 inch squares that made up the Nike logo, which acted as a signature for fair labor policies for Nike garment workers. As stated on the website, "Over the five-year period, "anti-sweatshop" squares were stitched into the quilt representing people petitioning from over 30 countries."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nike blanket petition |url=https://www.microrevolt.org/web/blanket.htm |website=microRevolt}}</ref> |
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In 2005, protesters at over 40 universities demanded that their institutions endorse companies who use "sweat-free" labor. Many [[anti-sweatshop movem hiadasdent|anti-sweatshop groups]] were student-led, such as the [[United Students Against Sweatshops]]. At Brown University, Nike went so far as to pull out from a contract with the women’s ice hockey team because of efforts by a student activist group that wanted a code of conduct put in place by the company.<ref>{{cite web|last1=James|first1=Danielle|title=Contract Controversy: Nike and Penn State|url=http://www.valleymagazinepsu.com/contract-controversy-nike-and-penn-state/|access-date=15 January 2019|website=valleymagazinepsu.com|publisher=Valley Magazine - Penn State University}}</ref> |
In 2005, protesters at over 40 universities demanded that their institutions endorse companies who use "sweat-free" labor. Many [[anti-sweatshop movem hiadasdent|anti-sweatshop groups]] were student-led, such as the [[United Students Against Sweatshops]]. At Brown University, Nike went so far as to pull out from a contract with the women’s ice hockey team because of efforts by a student activist group that wanted a code of conduct put in place by the company.<ref>{{cite web|last1=James|first1=Danielle|title=Contract Controversy: Nike and Penn State|url=http://www.valleymagazinepsu.com/contract-controversy-nike-and-penn-state/|access-date=15 January 2019|website=valleymagazinepsu.com|date=7 February 2017 |publisher=Valley Magazine - Penn State University}}</ref> |
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Several universities, unified by the [[Worker Rights Consortium]], organized a national [[hunger strike]] in protest of their school using Nike products for athletics. Feminist groups mobilized boycotts of Nike products after learning of the unfair conditions for the primarily female workers. In the early 1990s, when Nike began a push to increase advertising for female athletic gear, these groups created a campaign called "Just Don’t Do It" to bring attention to the poor factory conditions where women create Nike products.<ref name="Sage 1999 206–235" /> |
Several universities, unified by the [[Worker Rights Consortium]], organized a national [[hunger strike]] in protest of their school using Nike products for athletics. Feminist groups mobilized boycotts of Nike products after learning of the unfair conditions for the primarily female workers. In the early 1990s, when Nike began a push to increase advertising for female athletic gear, these groups created a campaign called "Just Don’t Do It" to bring attention to the poor factory conditions where women create Nike products.<ref name="Sage 1999 206–235" /> |
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Team Sweat is one of the largest groups that specifically tracks and protests about Nike. Team Sweat is "an international coalition of consumers, investors, and workers committed to ending the injustices in Nike’s sweatshops around the world" founded in 2000 by [[Jim Keady]]. While Keady was conducting his research about Nike at St. John’s University, the school signed a $3.5 million deal with Nike, forcing all athletes and coaches to endorse Nike. Keady publicly refused to support Nike and was forced to resign his position as soccer coach in 1998. Since resigning, Keady has done original research into the conditions in Nike's Sweatshops. He travelled to Indonesia and for a month lived among the Nike factory workers, surviving on $1.25 per day as the workers do.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Vlahoyiannis|first=Corinna|title=Jim Keady speaks out against Nike|language=en|work=Villanovan (Villanova University)|url=http://www.villanovan.com/news/jim-keady-speaks-out-against-nike/article_9e6f7512-e353-5b69-a10c-35747d476267.html|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref> |
Team Sweat is one of the largest groups that specifically tracks and protests about Nike. Team Sweat is "an international coalition of consumers, investors, and workers committed to ending the injustices in Nike’s sweatshops around the world" founded in 2000 by [[Jim Keady]]. While Keady was conducting his research about Nike at St. John’s University, the school signed a $3.5 million deal with Nike, forcing all athletes and coaches to endorse Nike. Keady publicly refused to support Nike and was forced to resign his position as soccer coach in 1998. Since resigning, Keady has done original research into the conditions in Nike's Sweatshops. He travelled to Indonesia and for a month lived among the Nike factory workers, surviving on $1.25 per day as the workers do.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Vlahoyiannis|first=Corinna|title=Jim Keady speaks out against Nike|language=en|work=Villanovan (Villanova University)|url=http://www.villanovan.com/news/jim-keady-speaks-out-against-nike/article_9e6f7512-e353-5b69-a10c-35747d476267.html|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref> |
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In 2016, the [[Worker Rights Consortium]] (WRC) and [[Fair Labor Association]] (FLA) issued reports on working conditions at the Hansae Vietnam factory complex. The reports detailed various violations of labor standards.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kish|first1=Matthew|date=13 December 2016|title=Reports find wage theft, verbal abuse, forced overtime at Nike contract factory|work=Portland Business Journal|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2016/12/13/reports-find-wage-theft-verbal-abuse-forced.html|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> In response, students at [[Georgetown University]] held a sit-in in December to protest their school's contract with Nike. The university allowed the contract to expire. In July 2017, USAS organized a Global Day of Action Against Nike on which protests were held at numerous Nike stores.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zager|first1=Daniel|last2=Solis|first2=Angeles|last3=Adjroud|first3=Sonia|date=15 September 2017|title=These Georgetown Students Fought Nike—and Won|work=The Nation|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/these-georgetown-students-fought-nike-and-won/|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Segran|first1=Elizabeth|date=28 July 2017|title=Escalating Sweatshop Protests Keep Nike Sweating|work=Fast Company|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40444836/escalating-sweatshop-protests-keep-nike-sweating|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> In August, Nike reached a new agreement with Georgetown University which granted the WRC full access to Nike's factories.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Larimer|first1=Sarah|date=30 August 2017|title=Georgetown, Nike reach pact on worker conditions| |
In 2016, the [[Worker Rights Consortium]] (WRC) and [[Fair Labor Association]] (FLA) issued reports on working conditions at the Hansae Vietnam factory complex. The reports detailed various violations of labor standards.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kish|first1=Matthew|date=13 December 2016|title=Reports find wage theft, verbal abuse, forced overtime at Nike contract factory|work=Portland Business Journal|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2016/12/13/reports-find-wage-theft-verbal-abuse-forced.html|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> In response, students at [[Georgetown University]] held a sit-in in December to protest their school's contract with Nike. The university allowed the contract to expire. In July 2017, USAS organized a Global Day of Action Against Nike on which protests were held at numerous Nike stores.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zager|first1=Daniel|last2=Solis|first2=Angeles|last3=Adjroud|first3=Sonia|date=15 September 2017|title=These Georgetown Students Fought Nike—and Won|work=The Nation|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/these-georgetown-students-fought-nike-and-won/|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Segran|first1=Elizabeth|date=28 July 2017|title=Escalating Sweatshop Protests Keep Nike Sweating|work=Fast Company|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40444836/escalating-sweatshop-protests-keep-nike-sweating|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> In August, Nike reached a new agreement with Georgetown University which granted the WRC full access to Nike's factories.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Larimer|first1=Sarah|date=30 August 2017|title=Georgetown, Nike reach pact on worker conditions|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/08/30/georgetown-nike-reach-pact-on-worker-conditions/?noredirect=on|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> |
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In 2019, Nike received the worst rating in Tailored Wages UK report, published by The Clean Clothes Campaign. The report stated: "The brand can show no evidence of a Living Wage being paid to any workers". Moreover, in 2020, the ''Washington Post'' reported that Nike purchases from a factory that relies on forced labor from [[Uyghurs]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fifield|first=Anna|date=February 29, 2020|title=China compels Uighurs to work in shoe factory that supplies Nike| |
In 2019, Nike received the worst rating in Tailored Wages UK report, published by The Clean Clothes Campaign. The report stated: "The brand can show no evidence of a Living Wage being paid to any workers". Moreover, in 2020, the ''Washington Post'' reported that Nike purchases from a factory that relies on forced labor from [[Uyghurs]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fifield|first=Anna|date=February 29, 2020|title=China compels Uighurs to work in shoe factory that supplies Nike|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-compels-uighurs-to-work-in-shoe-factory-that-supplies-nike/2020/02/28/ebddf5f4-57b2-11ea-8efd-0f904bdd8057_story.html|access-date=February 29, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Response by Nike === |
=== Response by Nike === |