Nike - Just don’t do it!
Solution
Here is an extract of an American website called ‘The World Traveller’. On this site people are told to boycott
transnational corporations which they think violate (verstoßen gegen) human rights. One of those firms is Nike.
Read the text about Nike and answer the questions below.
Nike - just don’t do it!
Thanks to billions of dollars in advertising, the Nike symbol (the ‘swoosh’) and Nike
products are known all over the world. Famous sportsmen such as tennis player Roger
Federer, football star Ronaldinho or golfer Tiger Woods are paid millions every year to lend
their names to the promotion of Nike products.
Less well known, however, is the story behind the symbol: how Nike has exploited
(ausbeuten) workers in other countries - so much that Nike Chief Executive Officer Philip
Knight is one of the richest people in the world.
During the 1970s, most Nike shoes were made in South Korea and Taiwan. When
workers there won new freedom to form unions (Gewerkschaften) and wages began
to rise, Nike looked for new production places. It found them in Indonesia, China and
Vietnam.
These are countries with governments that do not allow unions and have extremely
low minimum wages. In Vietnam for example the pay is 20 cents an hour, or $ 1.60
a day. But in urban Vietnam, three simple meals cost about $2.10 a day. When
people want to have enough to eat, they must earn at least $3 a day.
In the 1990ies there were many examples of child work and sexual abuse (Missbrauch) in sweatshops where
Nike shoes were produced. Nike has now started a big advertising campaign to fight its negative image. It
may now be true that Nike hires workers only 18 years or older, but it is also true that they only introduced
this minimum age under enormous public pressure.
We should not stop this pressure. We are demanding (fordern)
- that Nike agree to independent control of their factories by human rights groups.
- that the company hires workers again who were unfairly fired.
- that unions are allowed in Nike factories.
- that wages and work conditions are improved.
As long as Nike is not willing to do that: Don't buy Nike products.
Nike is the biggest sport shoe factory in America. If we can change Nike's
practices, other shoe factories will be forced to change theirs, too.
1. Why did Nike move its production from South Korea and Taiwan to Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Give
two reasons?
- There are no unions in these countries.
- The wages are lower there.
2. What did human rights groups complain about in the 1990ies?
There were many examples of child work and sexual abuse in sweatshops where Nike shoes were
produced.
3. How did Nike react on public pressure? Give two reactions.
- They now only hire workers who are 18 years or older.
- They started a big advertising campaign to fight their negative image.