Dear NikeWatch Supporter

 
Last month we reported on a Channel 7 news program which alleged forced labour and appalling living conditions in a Nike supplier factory in Malaysia.

Nike's own investigation has since confirmed the findings of Channel 7. Nike indicated on 1 August that the following positive changes are underway:

• The Bangladeshi workers (featured in the Channel 7 coverage) have been moved to apartments. Workers from Vietnam and Myanmar are also being moved to similar apartments;

• Workers now have immediate and free access to their passports whenever they want them or they can choose to hold onto their passports themselves. Workers will have access to a 24-hour Nike hotline should they be denied access to their passports by factory management;

• All current migrant workers will be reimbursed fees associated with their employment in the country they are from and any fees associated with working in Malaysia. To put this in context – the Bangladeshi workers paid about 3,000 AUD to employment agents in their home countries. This is equivalent to about a years wages which is now being reimbursed to workers;

• In the future all fees associated with employment will be paid by the factory as a cost of doing business;

• Any worker who wishes to return home will be provided with return airfare, regardless of the point they are at in their current contracts;

• Communication to the workers of these changes will be verbal as well as posted in all communal areas in all appropriate languages.

Importantly, Nike is not going to leave the factory – they are going to stay and try to fix the problem. We understand the brave workers who spoke out will keep their jobs (if that is what they want) and will not be discriminated against. Nike is reviewing their entire supply chain in Malaysia to ensure there are no similar violations and to make sure Nike’s other suppliers are following these recommended standards.

Read the full August 1 Nike Statement

Oxfam Australia welcomes the steps that Nike has taken towards ending forced labour and appalling living conditions at the Hytex factory. Nike acted quickly once the extreme violation of human rights in their Hytex supplier factory was exposed by Australia's Channel 7 television program. Nonetheless this latest incident shows that Nike have taken their eye off the ball when it comes to ensuring that workers basic human rights are not violated throughout their supply chain. Nike must do more to end forced labour and other systemic abuses throughout their supply chain.

For more information on how Nike should addresses systemic violations throughout its supply chain see: Offside! Labour Rights and Sportswear Production in Asia.
You can watch the 3.42 mins Channel 7 news item at: Nike Contractor using forced labour

Oxfam thanks everyone who has sent a letter to tell Nike that you care about the workers who produce their products.

Tell Nike you care

 
Stepping up the campaign in support of the Indonesian ex-Spotec and Dong Joe workers over the past 3 months - 2,900 French citizens have asked adidas to take immediate action to implement the workers concerns.

Spotec and Dong Joe workers have been fighting for their entitlements and for new jobs with adidas ever since adidas withdrew orders from these factories in 2006. Together with letters from Australia, a total of 3,145 people have contacted to adidas since March 2008.

Despite some good progress in the recruitment of some ex-Spotec workers into adidas’ new Ching Luh (CLI) supplier factory, we understand that CLI will not have capacity to hire all the 10,500 workers who lost their jobs. Considering this, adidas should provide opportunities for the ex-Spotec and Dong Joe workers, who are still seeking work, to find jobs in other adidas suppliers in a location close to where they are now living in Indonesia. Oxfam Australia wrote to adidas in July about the Spotec and Dong Joe workers.

An extract from our July letter to adidas:

Protecting union officials job opportunities
Adidas have repeatedly promised to protect the employment opportunities of union officials. To date, adidas has so far failed to protect these opportunities. None of the SBGTS ex-Spotec officials have found work in any adidas supplier factories, despite applying to several suppliers. Six former Spotec SBGTS union officials, who applied for jobs at CLI in December 2007, have still not received interviews despite putting in applications.

After almost a year without work some of the SBGTS ex-Spotec officials have been forced to take on precarious, contract work. In one instance an official has had to take on a three month contract, in another case an official, in desperation, took a contract for just two months. A female SBGTS official has applied to both CLI and Panarub unsuccessfully and has remained unemployed.

We request that adidas should uphold its stated commitment to protect the employment opportunities of union officials by:

• Providing these highly skilled workers/union officials with recommendation letters and permanent employment opportunities in adidas supplier factories
• Ensuring the applications of union leaders are processed fairly and transparently at CLI and other adidas suppliers.

Prioritisation of Spotec workers
Adidas mentioned in your 4 June correspondence that CLI is now in the process of completing the data entry for 700 applications from ex-Spotec workers. Given your own stated concerns about the weaknesses of the CLI Human Resources Team, we sincerely hope that these applications will be processed in a transparent and fair manner that maximizes the opportunity for ex-Spotec workers to be hired.
(….)

Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise at Ching Luh
We remain concerned about the implications of CLI’s track record of treatment of workers who are organising to improve their wages and conditions in Vietnam and China. We expect that adidas will ensure that CLI follows adidas’ own workplace standards and respects Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise in the factory.

You will be able to view the full July letter to adidas soon at: Dialogue with sports brands

 
‘In telling us what can be achieved by ordinary people through organized action, this book generates hope even as it enhances understanding of what is involved in the removal of poverty. The world does need hope as well as the know-how, and we have reason to be grateful for what we get from this important study of a rich collection of collaborative social action.’
Amartya Sen, Honorary Adviser, Oxfam

From Poverty to Power: How Effective States and Active Citizens can Change the World is a new book by Oxfam International.  It will contribute to an urgent and fast-changing debate about development. 

 
Are you a builder, construction worker, farmer, landscape gardener – or just like being outdoors and staying dry? This month our highlighted company is Fabri-Cell.

Fabri-Cell have a serious wet weather range that will keep you toasty and dry. Their wet weather gear is all NoSweatShop accredited.
Check out Fabri-Cell  Bodywear - Wet Weather