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Article

22 Mar 2016

Author:
Owen Eagan, The Hoya

Former Nike garment worker speaks out for fair wages

[F]ormer Nike garment worker and union president Noi Supalai described her struggle to receive fair wages... [S]he worked at various industrial positions until joining an Eagle Speed Marketing Co. Ltd. factory in Thailand in 2008...

[T]he initial wage was reasonable. However, when Nike requested a large order in 2009, the factory increased worker hours...

After working to the brink of exhaustion, the workers found they did not receive their monthly paychecks and began negotiating unsuccessfully with their employer, who explained they could not pay the workers until Nike paid their order...

In response, the factory workers formed a union and elected Supalai president, eventually appealing directly to Nike for help in claiming their wages...

Supalai’s union received compensation for missed wages as well as improved working conditions, including higher quality lunches following joint negotiations with their employer and the Worker Rights Consortium... Nike did not respond to a request for comment... [also refers to Columbia Sportswear, Adidas, Alta Gracia and The North Face]

*Sourced by RepRisk due diligence on ESG and business conduct risks, www.reprisk.com.