Labor Alerts: a service of Campaign for Labor Rights
NIKE UPDATE
March 31, 1998
- Important ESPN program on Nike April 2
- Nike lays off 1,600 workers
- Momentum building for April 18 mobilization
According to Thuyen Nguyen of Vietnam Labor Watch, ESPN will have a
devastating report on Nike labor practices in Vietnam on Thursday, April
2nd, 7:30PM EST. (Check local listings for time.) This program will
include the latest information about Nike labor practices.
According to a March 19 story from the Associated Press, Nike laid
off 1,600 workers, which comes to 7 percent of its 22,000-member workforce.
(These are direct employees of Nike. These numbers do not reflect the
half million workers who produce for Nike contractors in Asia.) Nike
also reported a 69 percent drop in quarterly profits. Although some
of Nike's problems are due to the vagaries of the fashion market, it
is clear that consumer rejection of Nike products also reflects disgust
with the company's refusal to address its systematic pattern of labor
abuses.
We have mailed out more than 150 organizing packets for the April
Days of Action. Each day, new communities report in with their developing
plans for the Nike mobilization. Please let us know of your plans. It's
not too late for us to send you an action packet. Contact Campaign for
Labor Rights today at (202) 232-5002 or clr@clrlabor.org
and tell us your postal address. ($5 donation requested, but not required,
to help with printing and postage costs.)
Following are locations where activists have contacted us. If you
are planning an event and don't see your community on this list, please
notify us of your plans. If you see your community on this list, please
update us on your plans. We are happy to help put you in contact with
other people in your community whom we know to be planning an event
or who are likely allies.
AUSTRALIA "Our plans are for leafletting on Nike at street
malls & key sporting events. It will be pretty low key - but we hope to
have a number of groups involved nationally."
BELGIUM Brussels: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
CANADA Campaign for Labor Rights is expecting a report soon from
the Maquila Solidarity Network/Labour Behind the Label Coalition, which
is in contact with activists all across Canada. Meanwhile, here are
reports from communities which have contacted us.
ALBERTA "We are having a meeting of anti-Nike activisits here
[ Edmonton ] next Wed. to plan for April 18. We will be creating
a new committee No Sweat, to broaden the issue. Fort MacMurray is organizing
a Free the Children Conference in May. Nike boycott will be addressed
at our up coming CUPE [ Canadian Union of Public Employees ]
Alberta Convention."
BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver: Leafleting at a local store selling
Nike products and a hands-across-borders event just south of Vancouver.
Victoria: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
ONTARIO London: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Toronto: Actions being planned by Labour Behind the Label Coalition.
Waterloo: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
QUEBEC Montreal: Packets requested. At least one enthusiastic
youth activist.
SASKATCHEWAN Regina: "We would like to receive an action package
to attempt an action on our campus, the University of Regina."
DENMARK Vinderup: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
ENGLAND London: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
FINLAND "On April 18 Solidaarisuus will at do at least leafleting
(probably in several cities)."
ITALY Packet requested by Centro Nuovo Modello di Sviluppo. No
report back yet on plans.
NEW ZEALAND "We organised stuff last year and are keen to do it
again."
PERU Packet requested. "We will be participating in People's Summit."
UNITED STATES
ALABAMA Birmingham: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
ARIZONA Flagstaff: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Phoenix: Central Arizona Jobs With Justice has requested a packet.
We haven't heard back from them yet about specific plans.
Tucson: "I am a member of Students against Sweatshops at the University
of Arizona in Tucson. We are beginning to think about possible actions
for the weekend of April 15-18, and would very much benefit from your
action packet. Our next meeting will be on 26 March."
CALIFORNIA Fullerton: Lots of interest in the Nike campaign in
local youth scene. Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Los Angles: Packets requested. No report back yet on plans.
Palo Alto: "We have done several leafletings at athletic events,
letters to the student and local papers, and a picketing of NIKE at
a recent campus job fair, that got some attention. We're not sure what
to do on April 18. Maybe something at Footlocker with folks dressed
up as skunks and pigs; maybe something on campus."
Paso Robles: Free the Children at Paso Robles High School. "We
did a big Nike Boycott on our campus last fall that made the regional
front page. Craig Kielburger is visiting our campus in two weeks!" Packet
requested. No report back yet on plans.
Sacramento: Sacramentans for International Labor Rights has a
planning meeting March 31.
San Diego: A hands-across-borders event is being planned. "Meet
at the Nike Outlet Store at 12 Noon! (in the strip mall to your right
at the last exit before the U.S./Mexico Border)"
San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland: Several events planned in San
Francisco. St. Ignatius High School: "We are meeting tomorrow to begin
planning a school-wide turn-in for April 18." An inspiring schedule
of events being organized by a coalition which includes: S.F. Labor
Council (AFL-CIO); National Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
(LCLAA); Western Hemisphere Conference Continuations Committee; Global
Exchange; California Fair Trade Campaign; Labor-Neighbor; Campaign for
Labor Rights; Bay Area 50 Years is Enough; Students for Justice and
Gente del Quinto Sol at DeAnza College; San Francisco NOW; Golden Gate
Labor Party; International Liaison Committee for a Workersą International
(ILC) and Peace and Freedom Party.
San Jose: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Santa Barbara: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
COLORADO Boulder: Lots of Nike activism. Packet requested. No
report back yet on plans.
Denver: "There is a group of us here in Denver Colorado called
'Students For Justice.' We are a division of the Colorado Progressive
Coaltion and we have had a rigorous anti-nike campaign since last summer.
We are planning on marching downtown and chanting while passing out
fliers on April 18."
Grand Junction: Auxiliary to the American Postal Workers Union.
"We have declared the Month of May Campaign Against Child Labor Abuse.
We plan to host several rallies the week of May 11-17 at all state conventions
for the APWU. We have been working on this for a couple of years now.
We have a class for Kids at the national convention to illustrate the
importance of labor unions in preventing abuse." April 18 packet requested.
No report back yet on plans.
Greeley: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
CONNECTICUT Brookfield: Community-based activist joining forces
with Students for Justice at Western CT State U to plan something for
April 18. "Foot Locker is very accessible"
New London: "I am seeking one for setting up this event in the
greater New London, CT area. Please contact me if you are interested
in helping." [ Contact info available through Campaign for Labor
Rights ]
Wallingford: Local organizer looking for others to help in planning
event for April 18.
CORPORATE WATCH WEB SITE
http://www.corpwatch.org
"We'll be covering the mobilization on Corporate Watch." TRAC - Transnational
Resource & Action Center
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington, DC: "I am a member of the Georgetown
Solidarity Committee, and we are currently working to pressure the Georgetown
administration to consider a code of conduct (and are excited about
the Duke news). We will certainly organize an event on/around April
18."
FLORIDA Miami: "There will be a picket of the NIKE store in Miami
Beach on April 18."
Sarasota: "I'm involved with the SLAC at New College. I would
be interested in the pamphets for the Campaign Against Nike day on April
18th."
GEORGIA Young Harris: "I am very interested in involving my campus
[ Young Harris College ] in the Nike boycott and the march against
Nike."
HAWAII Honolulu: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
ILLINOIS Aurora: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Chicago: Many packets sent. Organizer Bruce Gould writes: "Here
in Chicago JWJ, Nicaragua Solidarity Committee and others are going
to hold a protest on April 18 at noon at Niketown (669 North Michigan).
Then we're going to visit a Footlocker just down the block. If you're
in contact with anyone in Chicago who might be interested, just put
them in touch with me (bcgould@enteract.com
or 773-271-1345). Feel free to post this info in any electronic forums
you think might get out some people."
DeKalb: "Northern Illinois University is having a Nike "Swoosh"
fest this April. The Marxist-Humanists along with other student organizations
on campus are beginning to organize a demonstration to protest Nike.
I haven't had the date of the swoosh fest officially confirmed to me
as of yet, but it it is rumored to be on April 18, the same day as the
International Nike Mobilization."
Rockford: A UAW activist is publicizing the Nike mobilization
widely.
INDIANA Indianapolis: "I am working with Rev. Darren Cushman-Wood
from the Indiana Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and a few local
union activists to plan activity around Nike on April 18. The plan is
to have participants 'shop for justice' at the Foot Locker stores in
Indianapolis (which are mostly in malls). Depending on the number of
participants we recruit, these may be quiet conversations with the managers
on duty, or they may be noisy demonstrations - in either case we would
seek media coverage."
Richmond: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
KANSAS Manhattan: "As a National Officer in the Auxiliary to the
American Postal Workers Union, I will be attending several state conventions
during April and May where I will have a chance to address the delegates.
I would like to encourage and motivate our Auxiliary and Union members
to take action."
KENTUCKY Louisville: "We will try to get something going for 4/18."
MARYLAND Baltimore: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
MASSACHUSETTS Amherst: Packet requested. No report back yet on
plans.
Cambridge: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
MICHIGAN Ann Arbor: "We're starting to plan our international
Nike mobilization events"
Detroit: Packets requested. No report back yet on plans.
Kalamazoo: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Sault Ste. Marie: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
MINNESOTA Kenyon: "Please send us two packets for the April 18
action. A group of us is planning a seder and the theme this year is
child labor. Many people from the Minnesota peace and social justice
movement are invited and we hope to share this information with them."
MISSOURI Kansas City: "On the April 18 situation, I have recently
been informed that I am to be out of town on that date, but my comrades
will definitely be up for it."
NEW HAMPSHIRE Manchester: Plans are well under way.
NEW JERSEY Princeton: "Our group here, Students for Progressive
Education and Action (Speac) is interested in doing something on the
18th but doesn't have specific plans yet."
NEW MEXICO Las Cruces: Packet requested. No report back yet on
plans.
NEW YORK Buffalo: Coalition for Economic Justice planning an event.
New York City: "I am a student at Columbia University and we are
planning to flier and table extensively on the days leading up to the
18th."
Stony Brook: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: Packet requested. No report back yet on
plans.
OHIO Cincinnati: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Cleveland: An event seems likely but no report back yet on plans.
Urbana: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
OREGON Eugene: Plans underway. Still awaiting report.
Portland: A very active coalition is making plans.
PENNSYLVANIA Allentown: "I am a member the steering committee
for a local chapter of the Labor Party. Our chapter is planning to join
in on the Nike action."
Bethlehem: "We would like to be involved again in April and do
something creative that would connect the dots."
Philadelphia: Packets sent. Event seems likely but no report back
yet.
RHODE ISLAND Providence: "We have done some protesting local Nike
stores, and I think we'd be interested in doing more."
TENNESSEE Knoxville: "Our local chapter of NOW will probably be
>organizing a protest for April 18th!"
Morrison: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
TEXAS Austin: "Our annual local festival celebrating Earth Day
falls on April 18 this year, and my organization (Austin Alliance for
Democracy) will have a table at that outdoor festival, where we will
distribute information on Nike, sweatshops, global trade issues, etc.
Also, we have a large papier-mache sneaker (used in a skit we performed
about sweatshops last summer) which we plan to use in some theatrical
way, possibly as a pinata!"
UTAH Salt Lake City: "In planning for our April 18th Boycott Nike
demonstration we are planning an educational forum."
VERMONT Burlington: Had a meeting for the coalition, trying to
go after the university and their contract with Nike, appears to be
a Foot Locker store opening.
VIRGINIA Blacksburg: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
Charlottesville: Latin America Solidarity Committee is planning
an event.
WASHINGTON Bellingham: "Our student group, the Cesar Chavez Student
Organization for Labor Solidarity would like a Nike packet. We're tentatively
planning to have some kind of rally or march on the sidewalk outside
the mall."
Olympia: Strong local group has requested packet. No specific
word yet on plans.
Seattle: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
WISCONSIN Madison: "Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua
would like to receive the April 18 action packet to plan an event in
Madison. We are part of the Madison Coalition for Labor Rights and Fair
Trade."
Superior: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
WYOMING Laramie: Packet requested. No report back yet on plans.
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