Oxfam supports workers’ rights
The global sportswear and garment market is very lucrative.
In the 2008 financial year, two of the biggest sportswear companies, Nike and adidas earned profits of US$1.88 billion and US$800million respectively.
So it seems that while the big wigs behind the big sportswear and garment brands are getting richer, the workers actually making the products are living in poverty.
They barely earn enough money to look after themselves and their families. Many are forced to work long hours, and there have been cases where sportswear workers have been given amphetamines so they can work through the night. And when workers try to join together to fight for their rights they often experience violence, threats or sacking for trying to improve their conditions.
Oxfam Australia is working, along with other international organisations, to persuade major companies to improve the rights and conditions of workers.
We are keeping a watchful eye on the big brands and encouraging them to do more to uphold workers’ rights.
Who we’re watching
- Nike
- Puma
- Adidas
- Australian clothing brands
We’re also watching many of the other big sportswear brands like ASICS, FILA, Kappa, Lotto, Mizuno, New Balance, Reebok, Speedo, Umbro and other lesser-known brands have their products made in the same factories as the big three.
What we’re doing
Photo: Tim Herbert/OxfamAUS
Supporting unions
- We’re supporting workers to form into networks and unions where they can actively work together to uphold their rights.
Supporting women’s rights
- Women make up approximately 80 per cent of the global workforce in the sportswear sector and are often subjected to greater difficulties than men, including sexual harassment and discrimination against women workers who become pregnant. We’re encouraging discussion in the unions and organisations on how to best support women’s rights and women’s. Read one woman’s account of life as a sportswear worker.
Campaigning
- We’re lobbying brand representatives and publicly encouraging them to improve their labour practices.
- We help mobilise national and international pressure on brands to improve their labour practices.
- We encourage journalists to research and write about the working conditions of people who produce for big brands. For example in 2009, Pacific Brands (owner of Bonds) were found to be using a big Hong Kong manufacturer who had a poor record in terms of transparency on workers’ rights. Intense Australian media scrutiny has meant that the Hong Kong company is now talking about change. Write to Pacific Brands asking them to make sure that they respect workers' rights.
- Find out about our campaign achievements.
Educating
- We support training for workers’ representatives, particularly women workers, to help them build their knowledge of their rights and their skills in campaigning to get those rights respected.
- We provide educational resources for high school teachers, to help students learn about conditions facing the workers who make their sneakers.
Research
- In 2006 we published a comprehensive report detailing the treatment of sportswear workers (PDF, 4MB) by the major sportswear companies. The report looks at how sportswear brands are tackling the problem of sweatshops in their industry and focuses on workers’ freedom to form and join trade unions.
Take action
- Tell Nike's CEO that workers' rights matter.
- Tell adidas' CEO that workers' rights matter.
- Tell Pacific Brands (Bonds) and Just Jeans to be more transparent about their labour practices.
Learn more
- Read more in our comprehensive report into the practices of sportswear companies (PDF, 4MB).
- Read a first-person account of life as an Indonesian sportswear worker.
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