Nike, the American sportswear giant, is known for its flashy sneakers, superstar endorsements, and clothing items labeled “Just Do It”. In 2022, Nike had a global revenue of $46 billion.1 However, many may not be aware that the company has had a dark history with sweatshop and child labor.
Boy sewing a Nike soccer ball. Banjo, Shelly. “Inside Nike's Struggle to Balance Cost and Worker Safety in Bangladesh.” The Wall Street Journal, 21 April 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303873604579493502231397942. Accessed 27 November 2022.
In the late 1990s, St. John’s University soccer coach Jim Keady turned down a $3.5 million endorsement deal with Nike, resulting in his resignation.2 Keady took this stand because Nike was paying poverty wages and abusing workers in their sweatshops, many of which are located in Southeast Asia. He later traveled to Tangerang, Indonesia, with founder of Educating for Justice Leslie Kretzu to experience first-hand the conditions of Nike sweatshops. The two spent a month living in a slum with Nike factory workers. Jim lost 25 pounds trying to survive on his $1.25 USD daily wage. He slept on a cement floor and dealt with rats and cockroaches.
Keady also highlighted the conditions for the other Indonesian workers. The workers would have to share a bathroom, living quarter, and laundry quarter with five to ten other families.3 The $1.25 per day was only enough for vegetables, rice, water, and dish detergent. Many worked overtime because the wages were not enough to make ends meet.
Children in Indonesian living quarters. “Nike Sweatshops: Behind the Swoosh.” YouTube, 28 July 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5uYCWVfuPQ. Accessed 27 November 2022.
Children especially suffer from sweatshop labor. Because children are forced to work, they are unable to go to school. Additionally, many piles of scrap shoe rubber get dumped and burned into village areas where kids play. The burning fumes give off toxins and carcinogens. As a result, children start to develop chest infections and are at risk for cancer.
After returning from his trip, Keady visited the Nike Headquarters in Oregon and spoke with former chairman Phil Knight. Knight denied any use of sweatshop labor and refused to provide Keady any information about the issue.
To this day, Nike still denies concerns regarding its use of sweatshop and child labor. In a 2021 statement, it claimed to “work to elevate human potential through our products, partnerships and operations, something that cannot be accomplished without a fundamental respect for human rights.”4 However, despite this statement, Nike continues to practice sweatshop and child labor in China.
In March 2020, Australian Strategic Policy Institute found that in the past three years, more than 80,000 Uyghur Muslims have been transported to factories across China to work on production lines linked to at least 83 brands, including Nike.5 The Chinese government is currently suppressing the Uyghur minority in detention camps in Xinjiang.6 China is attempting to intertwine global manufacturers and consumers in its ongoing project of cultural genocide. The Washington Post’s Anna Fifield visited a Nike shoe factory in Qingdao and found that it resembled a prison. It had barbed wire, watchtowers, surveillance cameras, and a dedicated police station. This particular factory is reportedly producing 8 million pairs of shoes per year, however, Nike claims that it stopped adding new workers in 2019.
Muslim workers in a garment factory in Xinjiang, China. Moore, Mark. “Nike, Coca-Cola, others reportedly lobbying against Chinese labor bill.” New York Post, 30 November 2020, https://nypost.com/2020/11/30/nike-coca-cola-others-reportedly-lobbying-against-chinese-labor-bill/. Accessed 27 November 2022.
In late November 2020, companies like Nike and Apple were lobbying Congress to reject the Uyghur Force Labor Prevention Act.7 The bill would ban imported goods that are made in Chinese factories that used Uyghur labor. It would also see companies having to prove that their supply chain does not include any factories that have forced labor.
We must stand up to sweatshop, child, and Uyghur labor so Nike and other manufacturers are held accountable. There are many organizations willing to stand up to Nike, such as United Students Against Sweatshops. This student-run organization advocates against the use of sweatshop labor across the world. As another example, Save Uyghur is dedicated to helping companies move away from sweatshop labor by organizing protests and through social media campaigns. The links to donate are listed below.
Sources
1 Tighe, D. “Nike annual revenue worldwide 2022.” Statista, 15 August 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/241683/nikes-sales-worldwide-since-2004/. Accessed 27 November 2022.
2 “Behind the Swoosh: Sweatshops and Social Justice / Jim Keady.” Contemporary Issues Agency, https://ciaspeakers.com/home/?p=215. Accessed 27 November 2022.
3 “Nike Sweatshops: Behind the Swoosh.” YouTube, 28 July 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5uYCWVfuPQ. Accessed 27 November 2022.
4 Nike - FY21 Statement on Forced Labor - NIKE, Inc., https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/statements/fy21-statement-on-forced-labor. Accessed 27 November 2022.
5 Xu, Vicky Xiuzhong. “Opinion | Your favorite Nikes might be made from forced labor. Here's why.” The Washington Post, 17 March 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/17/your-favorite-nikes-might-be-made-forced-labor-heres-why/. Accessed 27 November 2022.
6 Wood, Bryan, and Brennan Butler. “What is happening with the Uighurs in China?” PBS, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/uighurs/. Accessed 27 November 2022.
7 Fels, Sam. “Nike would very much like to keep its slave labor, thank you.” Deadspin, 30 November 2020, https://deadspin.com/nike-would-very-much-like-to-keep-its-slave-labor-than-1845777337. Accessed 27 November 2022.
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