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The Buffalo News - Youth Convention 2003 Makes Its Mark |
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The Buffalo News - Catholic Youths Get Lesson In Justice |
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nextPix - SWEAT named 2002 Grant Winner! |
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Portland Press Herald - Keady tried to question Nike's chairman on the company's decision to end its contract with an Indonesian shoe factory, resulting in the loss of 7,000 jobs.
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Wall Street Journal - Nike Inc. said It Will Ask the U.S. Supreme Court to Review a California Supreme Court Ruling Allowing a Suit on False Advertising |
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Jakarta Post - On Nike's Latest Move |
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Minnesota Workday - Minnesota Unionists Call for Justice for Nike Workers |
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More News from the EFJ vault. |
The Buffalo News
February 19, 2003
On Saturday, a 14-year-old girl was plucked out of Western New York and made to work long hours on a Nike shoe assembly line in Indonesia, under strict and dehumanizing conditions.
The girl, who was menstruating, was permitted to use the restroom if she showed proof. She said she felt "violated" and "disgusted." She was joined in her misery by another Western New Yorker, a 14-year-old boy, who was guaranteed a brutal death by his supervisors
if he tried to start an independent union in the factory.
The two were role-playing, but the reality of working in a sweatshop hit home for the 850 high school students participating in the 51st annual Diocesan Youth Convention in the Adam's Mark Hotel.
The theme of the three-day convention, which began Friday and ends today, is "Catholic Youth . . . Make Your Mark!" The event offers a diverse selection of workshops on subjects ranging from sexual abstinence to dealing with stress.
"We want Catholic youths to make their mark in their parishes, their schools and all of Western New York," said Daniel J. Greer, Buffalo diocesan youth director. "We wanted to bring teens together and let the Holy Spirit do the work, so they can take that excitement back to their parishes."
A highlight Saturday was a workshop conducted by Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu, the founders and directors of Educating for Justice, the Nike corporate accountability campaign.
Keady, 31, was forced to resign in 1998 from his assistant soccer coach position at St. John's University after he refused to wear Nike products as part of the school's $3.5 million endorsement deal with the sports apparel company. He and Kretzu, 28, who has volunteered with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in India, have traveled to Nike factories in Indonesia the past three summers -- living in stark poverty with factory workers, who earn $1.25 a day -- to expose the injustices of sweatshops.
They shared their experiences, showing a video of the trip to Indonesia, where they tried to survive on a factory worker's daily wage, and an interactive workshop that invited students to the play roles of workers in skits.
"You have to push them out of their comfort zone for them to grow," Keady said.
Kretzu said the workshop was designed to challenge students "to think more critically about information that they receive. You can make changes for people who are living in this situation."
Keady urged students to "walk the talk" of the tenets of Christianity by working to change the lives of sweatshop workers. He added that they should spread the word in their parishes, schools and communities.
"Make the commitment to do something -- to bring justice to those who are suffering," he said.
Angry, guilty and frustrated, many students said they were galvanized to write letters to elected officials and send e-mails to the chief executive officer of Nike.
"I was shocked . . . that they live on $1.25 a day," said Rachele Trippe, a 17-year-old from the Town of Tonawanda. "How do you earn a living that way? I don't want to buy Nike products anymore."
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The Buffalo News
February 16, 2003
Picture this: 1,070 teens and adults gathered in a ballroom at the Adam's Mark hotel on a Friday night doing the "Egyptian dance" and singing at the top of their lungs. This was the scene at the Diocese of Buffalo Youth Convention last weekend. More than 1,000 young people on their feet praising something they believe in during these tumultuous times is a rare and valuable sight, and to see these teens getting into it like punks at a hot concert was priceless.
Some people responded to the heightened terrorism alerts by buying bottled water, canned food, plastic sheets and duct tape. Some laughed it off.
However, for Catholic teens in Buffalo, prayer was the only response. Despite the terrorism warnings, youths from more than 70 Western New York parishes, Immaculata Academy and Canisius High School gathered at the Adam's Mark to praise Invalid word space value God and learn more about their faith in a fun atmosphere.
"I was sort of nervous before I got to the convention, but once I got here, I wasn't scared anymore. It's like, who cares? At least I'm having fun," said Ashley Fitzner, a freshman at Immaculata.
"I look forward to convention all year. Why stay home?" said Immaculata sophomore Missy Wapshare.
Teens were enthusiastic about the convention program, which included a sexuality question-and-answer session with a priest and a workshop exposing Nike sweatshop policies.
"I had an amazing time. I am definitely coming back next year. It was really, really worth my money," said Chelsey Horwood, a sophomore at Immaculata. Teens were particularly impressed with Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu, who have been working to expose sweatshops, especially targeting Nike, in an organization called Educating for Justice. They spoke about their experiences living in Indonesia under the conditions Nike forces its workers to endure and how teens in Buffalo can help.
"I feel awful, probably everything I own is made in sweatshops, and I didn't even know!" said Cara Weiss of St. Bernadette's Church in Orchard Park.
The influx of teens took guests who came to the swanky hotel for a quiet Valentine's weekend by surprise.
"They were very good though, and we have had nothing but good comments from the staff and other guests," said Dan Greer, director of youth for the diocese.
Steve Angrisano, a Christian musician, provided music for the opening session and sprinkled his performance with side-splitting stories of his experiences at various retreats, pilgrimages and conventions.
No matter who you ask, the Diocesan Youth Convention, with its theme "Catholic Youth: Make Your Mark," was the experience of the year for 1,000 area teens.
Elizabeth Schumer is a sophomore at Immaculata.
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netPix
SWEAT Named "firstPix" 2002 Grant Winner
by Diana Takata
December 1, 2002
[New York City, December 1, 2002] nextPix, a film and media production company based in New York City, announced the winner of its "firstPix" grant program for 2002. The firstPix winner is SWEAT: A STORY OF SOLIDARITY, produced/directed by Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu of Educating for Justice. The project was awarded a $5,000 grant.
The mission of firstPix is to promote the efforts of first time and second time filmmakers by providing supplemental post-production funding. A key part of the selection criteria is that the film needs to reflect a positive humanitarian message. Last year's selection, SINGING THE BONES (dir. Gordon Halloran) went on to be screened at major film festivals such as MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL and MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL, and is currently being
distributed internationally on an independent basis.
This year sees the firstPix grant awarded for the first time to a documentary. SWEAT chronicles the journey of Keady and Kretzu as they uncover the story behind the profits generated by the sweat of Nike factory workers. Through the lens of their experiences, the film exposes the injustices of Nike's labor practices in the developing world, specifically in Indonesia, and how Nike's unfair economic decisions have a profound effect on human lives.
The film shows that with the right mix of faith, conviction, and dedication, ordinary people can change the world.
nextPix president, Don Thompson, states: "We went through a rigorous application process where program director Shelley Friedman reviewed over 50 films from the United States. When it came down to the finalists, everyone agreed that SWEAT was the clear choice. The film has a powerful and compelling message, is professionally done, and possesses a clearly humanistic intent."
Ideally, Thompson wants to see nextPix promote and produce many films that deal with hard to confront issues and speak with a uniquely human voice. "I truly believe that the human family can speak to each other through media, and that through media and film we can find common ground rather than common hatred. We should also use the media to uncover injustices and through that process learn to see a common humanity based on compassion and
the essential value of every human being. SWEAT is exactly that kind of film."
nextPix is currently in production on a documentary titled THROUGH THE HOLLOW BAMBOO, directed by Ngawang Choephel, a former Tibetan political prisoner inside Chinese occupied Tibet. The film depicts the ongoing struggle of Tibetans to maintain their cultural identity through music. The film features footage miraculously saved prior to 1995 when Ngawang was arrested, as well as new material shot recently in Tibet, the US and India. The film
will be narrated by Richard Gere.
For more information about nextPix and SWEAT, see www.nextpix.com or www.nikewages.org., or contact nextPix at info@nextpix.com.
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Portland Press Herald
Cole-Haan in Spotlight at Nike Meeting
by Edward D. Murphy
September 19, 2002
It's a small part of the Nike empire, but Yarmouth-based Cole-Haan took center stage Wednesday at the athletic shoe company's annual meeting.
Matthew E. Rubel, chief executive officer of Cole-Haan, outlined the division's efforts to transform itself from a conservative men's shoe company to a more vibrant offspring of its dynamic corporate parent.
Rubel noted that sales were flat and profits were nonexistent when he was appointed to lead the company in 1999, and now it is profitable and showing double-digit growth in sales.
Rubel was mostly preaching to the choir. In addition to a few Nike shareholders, the audience of 300 or so was filled with employees of Cole-Haan and Bauer Nike Hockey, which is based in Greenland, N.H. Portland is far from Nike's corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., but the company likes to hold its annual shareholders' meetings in places where it has substantial operations.
As in other places where it has held meetings, Nike in Portland was something of a lightning rod for people concerned with living and working conditions in the Third World.
The company has been accused of operating sweatshops in Asia, although Nike said it has been taking steps to eliminate poor working conditions and raise pay levels. Even though several groups issued press releases decrying Nike's workplace history, only a handful of protesters
showed up Wednesday.
One was James Keady, an activist based in New Jersey, who tried to question Nike's chairman and CEO, Philip H. Knight, on the company's decision to end its contract with an Indonesian shoe factory, resulting in the loss of 7,000 jobs.
Knight tried to cut Keady off, declaring him out of order three times. When Keady would not stop, Knight abruptly ended the meeting as security officials and a Portland police officer escorted Keady from the Portland Expo.
Other than that episode, however, the 90-minute meeting went smoothly, punctuated by high-decibel, flashy video presentations showcasing thousands of athletes who have won wearing Nike shoes, uniforms or playing with equipment emblazoned with the company's familiar "swoosh."
Knight began the meeting noting that Nike was supposed to have been in Portland last September, but it chose to hold its annual meeting in Oregon after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
"It's been a long wait and we're very happy to be here," he said.
Knight and other company officials noted that Nike is facing stiff competition in the United States, where footwear revenues for the first quarter were flat at $865 million. Increased apparel sales led to an overall growth of 2 percent in Nike's U.S. revenues for the company's first
fiscal quarter, which ended Aug. 31.
The company reported that overall its first-quarter revenues rose 7 percent to $2.8 billion and earnings per share increased 8 percent, to 81 cents.
Nike's stock was up $1.35 Wednesday, closing at $43.05.
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Wall Street Journal
Nike Inc. said It Will Ask the U.S. Supreme Court to Review a California Supreme Court Ruling Allowing a Suit on False Advertising
by Maureen Tkacik
August 2, 2002
Nike Inc. said it will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a California Supreme Court ruling allowing a San Francisco activist to sue the company for false advertising.
The California Supreme Court ruled in May that activist Marc Kasky could sue Nike for false advertising over the company's 1997 public-relations campaign saying it was a responsible corporate citizen in Asia. Its ruling termed the campaign "commercial speech," saying it wasn't protected by the First Amendment.
Nike has hired former acting Solicitor-General Walter Dellinger and Harvard professor Laurence Tribe, who represented Al Gore in his 2000 presidential election case before the Supreme Court, to file a petition
asking the Supreme Court to review the state court's 4-3 decision sometime before October.
They will argue that Nike's statements, defending itself against accusations of maintaining sweatshops in Asia, occurred in the course of public discourse and are therefore protected by the First Amendment.
The sneaker company conducted the campaign by writing letters to the editors of major newspapers, among other things.
"We believe we can make a strong showing that this decision will chill the ability of businesses and other organizations to debate issues of public concern," said Mr. Dellinger, the Washington-based lawyer who leads the Supreme Court practice at the firm O'Melveny & Myers LLP.
The legal saga began after Mr. Kasky read an article about Nike's Labor practices in Indonesia and Vietnam and decided as a consumer to sue the company. In 2000, an appeals court sided with Nike, arguing it
had the right to defend itself against critics. Last May, the California court overturned that decision, making way for Mr. Kasky's lawsuit to go to trial.
The Nike announcement came a day after the company said it was ending its contract with PT Doson factory in Indonesia, effectively laying off about 7,000 workers in the largest retreat Nike has made from
the country. Both developments were watched closely by ant-sweatshop activists, who charge that Nike is pulling out of Indonesia in response to increased unionization in the nation.
Nike denies that is the case and says the company still has 48 footwear and apparel plants in Indonesia employing 123,000 people. A spokesman says the Beaverton, Ore., concern "remains committed" to
Indonesia.
Since 1995, Nike's footwear production in Indonesia has fallen to about 30% of its total output from 40%, before the recent contract termination.
Nike's decision is a blow for PT Doson, which makes only Nike shoes. The Nike spokesman said the U.S. company plans to offer those workers medical care, small loans, and continuing education in the event that
the company cannot find a new contract to replace Nike's.
The complexity of modern-day sneakers makes their production a much less transient business than apparel manufacturing.
Although much foreign investment has fled Indonesia, the country's footwear industry has stayed comparatively stable throughout the fall of former President Suharto and the Asian economic crisis.
Still, as the nation's political situation has grown more unstable, Nike has expanded its production in mainland China, Vietnam and most interestingly, Thailand, where the minimum wage is nearly twice that of
Indonesia.
Jim Keady, a New Jersey-based antisweatshop activist who just returned from six weeks in Jakarta, said he suspected Nike was leaving Doson because of the strength of its unions. But while labor standards in Indonesia are what originally drew his criticism-and, for that matter, Mr. Kasky's-Mr. Keady said his worst fear is that Nike will pull out of the country altogether.
Labor unrest directed at the sneaker companies initially flared up In Indonesia after Sept. 11, causing the companies to evacuate most of their expatriate employees from the country.
Last week, more than 1,000 workers converged at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and burned a giant sneaker to protest Reebok International Ltd.'s termination of its contract with another facility that employs 5,400
people.
Mr. Keady, who is launching a letter-writing campaign to alert Congress and Catholic leaders of Nike's pullout, said Doson workers also are planning to protest the company's departure.
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Jakarta Post
On Nike's Latest Move
by James Keady and Leslie Kretzu
August 8, 2002
To the editor,
We would like to reply to the story in the Aug. 5, 2002 edition of The Jakarta Post titled Thousands may lose jobs as Nike cuts back.
It was with grave concern that we learned of this development recently from our contacts at Nike's PT Doson plant in Tangerang, West Java. In response to Nike's latest move, we are sending a letter to Nike CEO, Phil Knight. Along with this letter to Nike's chairman, we are also contacting U.S. congresspersons, U.S. religious leaders, presidents of U.S. universities, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights asking that they intervene in this situation and urge Nike
to keep orders at PT Doson.
We would like the workers at PT Doson to know that there are many in the U.S.A. that stand ready to offer solidarity and support in this struggle for justice. Together, through the powers of love and truth and with a commitment to nonviolent action, we can and will overcome this injustice. We will each act on the call of the Prophet Muhammad: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah" (Koran 4:135).
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Workday Minnesota
Minnesota Unionists Call for Justice for Nike Workers
August 23, 2002
(excerpt)
DULUTH – Through their cheers and their dollars, delegates to the Minnesota AFL-CIO annual convention voiced their support for worker justice in the overseas sweatshops that produce Nike athletic shoes.
They did so after hearing an emotional and compelling message from Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu, two young people who lived with the workers at a Nike factory in the suburbs of Jakarta, Indonesia, and are telling that story in person and in film…
The two urged union members to learn more about what is happening in overseas sweatshops and to help fund a film they are making about their experiences. A key focus is changing the conditions at these plants so that workers have the right to organize unions.
Said Kretzu: "The time to stop sweatshops is now. The time for economic justice is now."
For the full text of this article, click here.
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