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NIKE: WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A SHOE (First published 01/1997 in VUE Weekly, Edmonton, AB Canada) By: Wendy Wallace Capitalism has its causalities.
That's what critics of Nike want to impress upon the devout shoppers
who helped the world's leading footwear company to earn $650 million dollars
in profits last year.
More than just shoes are coming out of Indonesia, China, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and now Vietnam. There are also horror stories seeping out from behind the walls of the sweatshops where workers are paid as little as $0.15/hour to produce a pair of shoes that will cost Nike less than $20 to make, and then sell for as much as $150. There have been reports suggesting workers aren't being paid enough to feed, cloth, or house themselves. Workers are being forced to work 60+ hours/week, and are sometimes not paid for their hours of overtime. In stifling heat and overwhelming glue fumes workers are not allowed to take breaks or go to the bathroom. Workers are being severely punished, either beaten or yelled at, for making mistakes. It has also been claimed that workers within the Nike-affiliated factories who have taken part in union activities have been arrested and tortured by the Indonesian military. Critics say Nike has done little to protect the well being of the factory workers. Nike tells a different story. From Nike headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, general manager Tony Nava said, "We have been told not to talk about what's going on here." Nike representative, Martha Benson, who is located in Nike's Hong Kong office, was able to be more outspoken. "Nike has probably been the most aggressive in the industry in terms of ensuring the work conditions in our factories are some of the best," she said. "We make no bones that we are on a learning curve. So are our production partners. We know we can do more and we strive to do better. Each new thing we do is an example of us ‘raising the bar'." "Since we first began production in Asia over twenty years ago we have had Nike employees in the facilities making sure our partners were producing in the conditions we were comfortable with." Jeff Ballinger, the most vocal critic of Nike, has been intensely aware of the labor practices going on in Indonesia for the past seven years. Ballinger estimates he has spent $40 thousand of his personal income to investigate and bring awareness to this issue. He has also founded the international activist group Press For Change... Press For Change works in conjunction with other concerned and verbose activist groups. Global Exchange, Campaign For Labor Rights, and the Justice! Do It Nike Boycott Group have also shed light on the Indonesian situation. "Nike has been the most arrogant company involved in this issue,"
said Ballinger. "Even when they were caught red-handed, it took them
years to address the concerns. At least other companies apologized
for their actions."
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