The Like Cutting Bamboo report (released in September
2000) found that verbal abuse of workers was common and that in
the PT Nikomas Gemilang factory workers were routinely shouted
at by supervisors if they worked too slowly or made mistakes.
Supervisors would frequently insult them with the use of such
epithets as "dog", "monkey" or "pig". This verbal abuse was particularly
extreme when high work targets had to be met.
The February 2001 the Nike-funded Global Alliance report discussed
above found that 30.2% of workers interviewed in 9 Nike contract
factories in Indonesia had personally experienced verbal abuse
and 56.8% had observed the problem. In focus groups workers reported
that harsh words or verbal abuse are common in their factory environment
and are considered a normal part of relationships with supervisors.
Workers who participated in that study defined verbal abuse as
"harsh or unkind words, angry shouts, and words that humiliate
and cause shame such as names of animals and insults to the workers'
intelligence" (Center for Societal Development Studies 2001, p.4,27).
As of January 2002 there had been a reduction in the level of
verbal abuse in most the factories investigated for this report.
In the Nike contract factories supervisors have received training
in how to relate to workers, and in a number of factories workers
have been encouraged to complain if they are abused. This has
reduced the amount and the intensity of abuse, but it still occurs.
In most factories workers said they are still shouted at when
they work too slowly, but supervisors no longer humiliate them
or compare them to animals. One exception to this is the Nikomas
Gemilang factory (Nike and Adidas) where workers reported that
although supervisors have been officially instructed by factory
management to insult workers less, it is still not uncommon for
them to be shouted at and called ``dog'' or ``monkey'' Workers
in a number of factories noted that supervisors' anger in turn
resulted from the pressure on them from higher managers to make
sure workers reach work targets.
According to workers from PT Panarub (which only produces for
Adidas) verbal abuse in that factory is still very common. Most
supervisors shout at workers when they work too slowly or fail
to reach targets, and many frequently insult them by calling them
"stupid" or "idiot".
Apart from the situation at PT Nikomas Gemilang described below,
in which workers have been struck by Indonesian soldiers employed
as security guards, there was no other evidence of violence against
workers. Workers in two factories reported that sometimes when
supervisors shout at them for making mistakes they will throw
parts of shoes on the ground, but they no longer throw shoes at
workers or use violence against them.
Next: Use of Indonesian
soldiers to provide "security" in the PT Nikomas Gemilang factory
