|
(More
on this case) ( !! Note that Kukdong changed it's name sept
2001 to Mex Mode )
1-12-01, Nike workers on strike in Mexico
Dear Friends,
The CCC has received the following call to action in support
of workers at Kuk Dong Factory, producing for Nike and various
U.S. universities, from various sources. The alert below was prepared
by the US/LEAP based upon sources from Mexico. See their website
at http://www.usleap.org
for updates.
Contact Nike today regarding this case and send a solidarity
message to the workers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nike Workers in Mexico Fighting Against Sweatshop Conditions and
for an Independent Union - Immediate Action Needed!
Tell Nike to be sure their Compliance Officer in the factory talks
to the protesting workers!
Reported 1-12-01
All 800 workers at the Kuk Dong factory, which produces for Nike
and many U.S. universities, have been staging a work stoppage to
protest labor abuses since 8:00 am, Tuesday the 9th.
A Nike code of conduct compliance officer is currently on the factory
premises. The union deserves to meet with the Nike compliance officer
to let their voices be heard. Nike needs to know that workers say
Nike’s code of conduct is being violated!
Reportedly, the immediate cause of the strike was the firing of
20 workers who had complained about rotten food in the cafeteria
and low wages ($30 for a 45-hour week). The workers also complain
of forced overtime (including 14 to 16 year old workers who are
legally required to work no more than 6 hours a day and are instead
working 10), verbal abuse, and failure to give legally mandated
benefits like maternity leave. Finally, workers say the factory
has a union which is said to be in bed with the company. The workers
want to exercise their right to freedom of association and create
a new independent union in its place. Negotiations were set for
Thursday the 11th, but were cancelled at the last minute.
The workers demand that:
1) All workers return to work, including the fired workers.
2) The company agrees not to fire or take reprisals against anyone
for having participated in the stoppage or other protests
3) The company recognizes the Kuk Dong Workers’ Coalition
as the legitimate representative of the workers and agrees to deal
with them as such, pending a legal process that will take some time
to conclude.
Workers plan to continue the stoppage until the company meets the
demands. Already they have been harassed with anonymous threatening
notes and there is some fear that the police or union thugs might
attack them. The workers are supported by their parents (most of
the workers are young women from rural villages surrounding Atlixco)
and the UNT (National Workers Union), an independent and democratic
union federation. Many workers are single parents and are the sole
wage earners for their families, which makes the wage issues especially
pertinent.
Kuk Dong International is a Korean-based Nike producer with large
factories in Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico. Reports indicate that
there have been repeated labor disputes at Kuk Dong’s Indonesian
factory, most recently over the failure to pay a minimum wage.
Suggested Actions:
1) Contact Nike ASAP! Let the company know that you are
aware of the events at the Kuk Dong factory in Mexico and that the
company has a code of conduct compliance officer on the premises.
Request that this officer meet with the Kuk Dong workers, document
their complaints, and that the company support the workers’
demands to rehire the fired workers, not take any action or reprisals
against workers who have participated in the protests, and recognize
the Kuk Dong Workers’ Coalition as the legitimate representative
of the workers. Be sure to tell Nike not to “cut and run”
from this labor dispute and warn them that to do so would tarnish
their reputation.
Contact: Philip H. Knight, Chairman and CEO NIKE, Inc. One Bowerman
DriveBeaverton, OR 97003-6433 Fax: (503) 671-6300
Hannah Jones Director European Government and Community Affairs
Nike Europe 165 Avenue Louise Brussels 1050 Belgium Fax: 322-646-6908
2) Send letters of solidarity (preferably in Spanish) to
the workers at the following e-mail address: librado@gofairtrade.net
LETTER FROM A KUKDONG WORKER
Brothers and Sisters:
We are workers at the Kuk Dong Internacional SA de CV factory.
We make sweatshirts for Nike, some with university logos.
We have been working for a year and month, during which we have
suffered mistreatment from the Korean supervisors. Some talk to
us in their language, and though we do not understand them at the
moment, after researching the words, we know that what they call
us the most means "trash".
We write you to ask for your support and solidarity with the work
stoppage we have begun. We don't want to hurt the company, we just
want to remove the union, since we were forced to join it and threatened
with being fired if we did not. People who started work in the factory
were made to sign their affiliation without knowing what they were
signing. The union gained power, but this power was not to help
the workers, but to serve the union's and the company's interests.
Therefore we were forced to stop work to show our disagreement,
and to be heard.
We thank you for your attention,
Sincerely,
Josefina Hernandez Ponce
-----------------------------------------
This alert was prepared by the US/LEAP based upon sources from Mexico.
See their website at www.usleap.org
for updates.
|
