Recently for my economics class, I had to research companies who use sweatshops and child labor to produce their product. I also had to write a letter to the C.E.O of the company. I ended up choosing Nike as the company I would research. Here’s what I found out and this is my letter.
“Dear Mark G. Parker (President of Nike),
As a consumer of your product, and simply as a guy who likes your iconic high-top sneakers, it troubles me to hear that the most profitable shoe company in the world treats its employees with no respect what so ever. Foremost, my name is Joe* (name has been changed). I reside in Los Angeles and constantly see other teenagers wearing your shoes, and I see countless advertisements on television, all attempting to market your product and make it seem appealing to the public. But behind every sneaker, there is poverty, pain, and abuse. What’s more amiss is that you allow this mistreatment to continue within your company and you fail to recognize it, almost attempt to hide it
You are worth 5 billion dollars, all dirty dollars. Money comes and goes, but your identity follows you everywhere. And while you’re probably aware about what I’m about to note, I am going to reference this anyways. Did you know that your employees are forced to work overtime, but most choose to work overtime because that is the only way for them to obtain a sufficient wage. Indirectly, you are forcing your employees to work day and night, just so they can survive. While it cost five dollars to make a shoe, you retail it for over 100 dollars.
But who exactly produces your shoes? People in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam do. Do they work in factories? Are they treated well? No! You hire individuals not as employees, but to some extent as your slaves who work in sweatshops and work with hazardous material. Not only do you not pay them enough, but you endanger their lives every single day. Employees are forced to work 20 hours a day sometimes, and are unable to function. Some faint while in the assembly line, most suffer from malnutrition, yet you fail to better the working conditions or provide medical treatment.
In Vietnam there have been reports of physical and sexual abuse. And when reports are made, the sweatshop suddenly disappears. Evidently, you fail to recognize that there is a problem. Furthermore, to some degree you consciously acknowledge that the way you treat your workers is wrong and malicious. Most of your employees are unable to speak out against these unjust working conditions because you purposely go to countries where the government fails to enforce the laws, one of them being minimum wage laws. Your intensions are amiss, you lack moral fiber. What can kind of leader are you?
Perhaps you chose to do nothing because your consumers remain silent; however I am sure that most of your consumers are unaware of how you truly run your corporation. Although you spend $978 million dollars on empowering women and the inner-city youth, I ask you this: are you truly making a positive change in the world? Is making children work a good quality? Workers do need jobs, and because they are your employees and manufacture your products they also deserve a sense of respect and loyalty from you. While it’s illegal for employees to form unions, you have the power to change that. Give your employees a voice!
Your workers are not animals and definitely not slaves. Like you and me, they are humans and therefore deserve rights. I am not asking you to stop producing your product, but I am asking that you truly reconsider the way that you’ve been treating children, women, and men. I know a man of your caliber wants more, and you should demand more from yourself. In 2004, you requested that supervisors inspect Nike sweatshops, and that they evaluate them. I do commend you for that. Again, I am not trying to attack you or demean your character; however one issue you did not address is an increase in wage. Because your company is extremely profitable, you can afford to double the wages of your employees without increasing the retail price of your products.
As the President of Nike, I urge you to end the abuse within your company, put a stop to child labor, and raise the wage of your employees. Not only will you change your company, but you can become an example for others who abuse of their employees. As your logo says, “Just do it.” You are a leader, and in no way am I asking you to step down, what I ask from you is to step up.”
To do something about this, check out: TeamSweat
