Labor Alerts: a service of Campaign for Labor Rights

NIKE: News (Nike producing in Mexico!), Policy, Shoes

NEWS:

A report in the January 25 edition of the Oregonian newspaper (published in Portland, Nike's hometown) stated that Nike is producing athletic shoes in Mexico. According to that story, Feng Tay, a longtime Nike partner based in Taiwan, entered into a management agreement with Mexico City-based Rohcal in 1996 to make athletic shoes near Leon, Mexico. PLEASE: Let us know if you have contacts in the area who could tell us about conditions, wages and other issues at this factory.

POLICY:

In our most recent Nike alert, we posted - without any statement of our own principles - a notice advertising "Boycott Nike" bumper stickers. We regret doing so and we hope that the following statement clarifies our position:

When Is a Campaign a Boycott?

You may have noticed that some of the struggles promoted by Campaign for Labor Rights are called "campaigns" and others are called "boycotts." Many people wonder how the decision is made as to when to call a boycott. That is important question, one which goes to the heart of what our sweatshop movement is about.

Campaign for Labor Rights came out of the Central America solidarity movement. A key principle of solidarity is that one group should not decide what is best for another group. That especially means that we in the global north should not be making decisions for people in the global south. Central America solidarity activists have forged strong links with the organizations in Central America which seek to bring fundamental economic and social justice to their own countries. Solidarity activists have a long history of consulting with those organizations and taking direction from them. This model of solidarity activism, more than anything else, explains the strength and the impact of the Central America movement in the U.S., Canada and other countries of the global north.

Each campaign promoted by Campaign for Labor Rights was initiated by some other U.S. or Canadian organization. We refer to these as our "partner organizations." Our partners consult with the union representing the workers whose rights we support. Where repressive governments prohibit free trade unions, our partners consult with the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who advocate for the workers. In either case, the standard is the same: We work only with partners who take their direction from the unions or NGOs representing the wishes of the workers. If we have reason to believe that a partner is not taking direction from the workers whose lives are affected by a campaign, then we draw back from that campaign.

We don't mean to oversimplify this issue. In countries where repressive governments are in control, it's a huge challenge to determine what the workers' wishes really are. Such difficulties do not alter the fundamental issue. If we haven't determined what the workers want, we should back off until we do have clear directions from them.

Some have pointed out, quite correctly, that all sweatshop campaigns have the effect of boycotts. When we inform people of conscience about the sweatshop practices of a given company, many of those people choose not to buy products from that company while the campaign is in force. We respect and support the choices made by informed consumers. That is not in contradiction with the solidarity principle: Campaign for Labor Rights does not call for a campaign unless the workers ask us to do so; we don't call for a boycott unless the workers ask us to do so.

The sweatshop movement is about workers' rights. Even more important, this is a movement for workers' empowerment. Correcting abuses is a goal of each of these sweatshop campaigns. A much bigger goal is to support workers in their struggle to establish free trade unions so that workers can advocate for their own rights. Support for empowerment and a commitment to the solidarity principle are inseparable.

SHOES:

In our previous alert, we had a request for suggestions on what to do with the shoes collected during the caravan leading up to April 18. We have had a phenomenal response! There is a lot of passion and creativity out there. Thanks to all of you who sent us replies. We will soon be posting a compilation of the responses, plus (hopefully) a decision on what to do with the shoes.

* return to top