Critics label Nike a shoe business heel

By ALAN PERROTT

For an international giant whose name aligns itself with winners, Nike has no shortage of critics.

The sportswear company's name comes from the Greek goddess of victory and a long queue of stars such as Tiger Woods endorse Nike products for huge sums of money.

But opponents such as those who gave Woods a noisy greeting to Wellington this week say his multi-million dollar deal is financed by poverty-stricken workers slaving in labour camp conditions.

A report by the New York-based National Labor Committee in November described conditions of extreme hardship in Bangladesh where employees of Nike subcontractors average 78 hours work a week.

It told of 15-year-old "helpers" being paid 12c an hour of drinking water that causes diarrhoea and vomiting and of a conversation ban during work hours.

In response, Nike points to improvements it has demanded from subcontractors in Indonesia after a critical audit by the international agency Global Alliance.

Rob McEwan, who organised the Wellington protest, is a history student.

He said he became interested in Nike after hearing of a US soccer player, Jim Keady, who went to Indonesia and tried to live on the wages of an average Nike worker.

Mr McEwan accepts international pressure has forced Nike to establish a good set of employee policies.

"But they have no intention of enforcing them. .

"Nike are on a charm offensive, but they have done very little to increase the wages and conditions in their factories.

"They claim they have little control over the subcontractors, but they can always withdraw from contracts with bad employers ...

"From what we have seen, if human rights ever look like improving in one country, they move to another where they haven't."

Jo Tisch, Nike New Zealand's brand communications manager, asks if the factories are so bad, why are people queuing to work in them?

"It's because we do provide good working conditions. Alongside the salaries which are at least minimum wage and more often above, we provide accommodation, three meals a day, free health care, transportation and education programmes.

"We don't condone sweat shops at all, but sometimes ... that's how these products are manufactured. We are trying to change that."

"That sounds well and good," said Rob McEwan.

"But in countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh the minimum wage is below the living wage and I doubt their programmes exist in any meaningful manner if factories like those in Dhaka can't even provide safe drinking water."