According to Benson, not only do Nike's contractors maintain Nike's preset standards, they go above and beyond.  Some factory owners have built sports facilities for their workers.  Some offer low-interest loans. Other incentive programs have also been created.

 Besides the wage concern, Ballinger and other activists are also demand independent monitoring of the factories.  They feel that workers rights can only be maintained if an objective party oversees what goes on while shoes are being made.

 Nike partially relented.  In 1994 they hired the accounting firm of Ernst & Young to conduct random monitoring of the factories. Allegedly their findings, although not available to the public, prompted Nike to finally comply with the minimum wage standard in Indonesia. 

 But, according to Ballinger, contractors were upset about having to pay their workers minimum wage.  To make up for their loss of profit, contractors sped up production.  With more production came more mistakes.  More mistakes, Ballinger said, caused more beatings.

 "Nike has never restrained these contractors," he says.  "This Code Of Conduct is merely a public relations facade."

 "We have been told by our critics that as long as Nike remains a highly-visible company, they will continue to focus on us," said Jim Small. "Nike attracts attention.  We're fine with that. We want to do things better.  We should be better than anyone else.  And we think we are better."

 The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace staged one of the biggest protests of Nike to date.  Close to 90 thousand people sent protest cards to Nike.  Nike will not meet with the Canadian group to discuss their concerns over human rights violations, the need for independent monitoring, and the need for better working conditions.

 Jacques Bettrand, spokesperson for Development and Peace, is suspicious of Nike's Code Of Conduct and their Memorandum of Understanding.

 "Nike has power over their subcontractors because in many cases they would not exist without Nike. Years ago Nike had said, ‘These are not our employees.  This is not our problem.' But now that they have adopted a code of conduct they have recognized responsibility.  But is that progress?" Betrand asks.  "We're still waiting to see independent monitoring.  We're still waiting for them to sit down with groups to discuss ways to make things better."

 To date Nike has not met with any of their critics.

 "Traditionally Nike wanted to talk about sports, not production," said Benson.  "We're not big on ‘corporate speak' I guess."