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We are not machines: Nike
and Adidas workers in Indonesia
Annual Leave
In all three factories investigated for the Like Cutting Bamboo
report workers were allowed Moslem religious holidays but it was
very difficult for them to take any other annual leave, even though
they were theoretically entitled to 12 days each year. Line supervisors
put a lot of pressure on workers not to take leave on days other
than religious holidays.
Workers interviewed for this report claimed that although it
had become somewhat easier to claim their legally mandated annual
leave, there were still significant problems. Although a number
of factories had introduced better policies for taking leave,
and one had even provided training for workers in how to claim
it, at the factory line obstacles were still put in the workers'
way. They must get permission from their supervisors to take annual
leave, and supervisors commonly refuse unless they can find another
worker to take their place on the line on that day. In most factories
if their supervisors refuse then workers can gain permission by
complaining to the "corporate responsibility" or "personnel" section
of the factory. Complaints can lead to victimisation by factory
supervisors, however, and workers are extremely wary of making
a complaint. As a result many workers miss out on much of their
annual leave.
This Nike worker sighed deeply when she talked about
the twenty thousand pairs of soccer shoes they burnt
the week before this photograph was taken. "The factory
said the quality was not high enough. We are very
disappointed because we work until very late in the
afternoon for many days, and then they just burn all
of it. Now we need to work even harder to replace
them."
When she was interviewed (in November 2001) she
was being paid Rp. 449,300 (USD$45) per month and
was forced to work the maximum amount of overtime
every week. She makes soccer shoes most of which go
to Europe and Africa.
Living alone in a tiny room nestled amongst many
others in a bustling slum in West Java she is paying
Rp. 85,000 (USD$8.5) per month rent. One day she hopes
to share it with a husband, but she has not met anyone
yet. Like many of her colleagues have done, she expects
to meet a man at the factory.
Sending money home to her family she is left with
very little. Her sister has been working in the giant
Nikomas factory in Serang, fifty kilometers away and
they meet when they can. Her sister lent her a water
cooler and a radio. Aside from this she has few guests.
When asked if she has thought about other jobs,
her answer is curt: "Tell me. What else can 1 do?"
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Next: Conclusion
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