Former Christian Brother takes the initiative against unfair treatment EDITORIAL By SHAUNA CHANNER Posted:03/08/10
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Lincroft (Monmouth County, NJ) - Behind the Swoosh, Jim Keady explained that this financial reality is true for thousands of Nike factory workers in Indonesia at the March 4 Brookdale Community College lecture.
Factory workers in Indonesian Nike factory plants manufacture products that gave the company 19.2 billion dollars in revenue and 1.5 billion dollars in profit. The products, painstakingly crafted, are made to the highest standards and versatility. So how does a billion dollar company reward its workers? Is it with benefits and bonuses? Could it be discounts and dividends? Not at all - these workers make a meager $1.25 a day according to Keady.
For a clear illustration, imagine that a top athlete, sponsored by Nike, plays their sport for two hours. At $1.25 an hour, the Nike factory workers would have to save for several years to reach that same amount. "In one second, many pro athletes make enough money to pay for a home in Indonesia."
Keady attended Christian Brother's Academy, located in Lincroft, N.J., where he played soccer. He was 18 years old and preparing for the life he pictured, "Go to college, get a good job, buy a nice house, and start a family." While studying theology and working as a coach for St. John's University, he began to research sweatshops and their unethical practices. When Keady was offered a Nike endorsement deal to wear their products, he refused. At this point, he began to shine light on these controversial issues.
Keady was singled out by Nike administrators and was even targeted on sport news. After accumulating such negative controversy, the head soccer coach gave Keady an ultimatum, "Drop the issue or get fired." Keady was released from his coaching position in 1984. He saw hypocrisy from many who said they were opposed to unfair treatment of people. "Are we only supposed to care for the poor and fight injustice only if we are getting paid?" he asked of the Brookdale audience.
To truly understand what these Nike factory workers endure, he and his wife traveled to Tangerang, Indonesia. He wanted to live as a factory worker and experience their exact and extreme conditions.
Life was not easy in Tangerang. In the slums where the factory workers lived, he and his wife slept on thin mats on an uneven floor. In the streets, the putrid sewage was open. Keady went on further to say that when it rained, if measurable precautions were not taken, the sewage would rise and seep into the home. He went on to talk about ‘the fist sized cockroaches and the football sized rats.' Toxic fumes from discarded shoe rubber burned near the areas where village children played.
When Keady's wife became sick, the $1.25 a day allowance necessitated a choice between buying her medication, or, to purchase another necessity. To buy a can of shaving cream, Keady had to sacrifice three meals. By the end of the trip Keady had lost 25 pounds. "How can people live like this?" he asked. "When we return home to the U.S., is anyone going to care?"
Nike has 37 contract factories in Indonesia. Keady identified many of the clothes the audience wore as probably also produced in sweatshops. Why not emphasize these places also?
Keady explained Nike is one of the top 50 famous brands. They produce over 50,000 products per year and they are located in 160 countries, therefore, it is important for them to lead by example. There is also a history of Nike worker issues; twenty five to fifty percent of workers have complained of verbal, physical, sexual and psychological abuse. Photos document that when workers have tried to organize against unfair conditions, they were beaten and bullied in front of all the workers. Over 15 years of research has been completed on the cruelty of these sweatshops in Indonesia.
While at the Nike headquarters in Indonesia, the employees were told not to talk to Keady. Upon leaving the offices, he was tailed by factory security and local mafia.
After repeatedly trying to reach Nike officials in the U.S., Keady finally traveled to the Nike C.E.O.'s office to discuss conditions. He was turned away. It was a subject that none of the administrators wanted to discuss.
Keady then took the initiative into his own hands. He began traveling throughout the United States to raise awareness of these issues. College students have taken a part to end these atrocities by e-mailing Nike's C.E.O. and joining Nike's facebook page. Progress has been made; workers have stated that conditions improved and unfair treatment has changed drastically.
Anyone can make a difference. A big part of the change has come from college students. Individuals can e-mail Nike C.E.O Mike Parker at mark.parker@NIke.com and cc to: info@teamsweat.org to tell him something has to be done. Individuals can join Keady's facebook page at: facebook.com/teamsweat.
The video titled, "Behind the Swoosh" can be seen on Keady's website teamsweat.org. Keady urges everyone to get informed and the spread the word.
The views expressed by columnists do not necessarily represent the opinions of this newspaper or any representative of Bayshore Courier News.
