The Devil Wears Nike
For as long as I can recall, Nike has been the most popular and widely recognized producer of athletic footwear and apparel in the world.
Despite annual profits that are in the billions, however, they continue to utilize sweatshop labor–employing children and paying workers as little as $2.50 per DAY to work in their factories.
On top of that, their products are poorly designed and fall apart relatively quickly. If they are cutting costs on the labor end, imagine the costs they cut on the materials themselves. Besides, I wouldn’t feel inclined to do a bang-up job if I was a 12-year-old working for only a quarter an hour either!
As you may recall, Nike came under fire in the late 1990’s after their use of sweatshop labor became public knowledge. At the time, Nike CEO Philip Knight spoke publicly about plans to improve factory conditions, but it would seem that those claims were merely a public relations ploy. Nike’s actions continue to show a disregard for human rights.
So what can you do to help end this injustice?
STOP BUYING NIKE PRODUCTS!!!
Boycotting Nike will not only help to eradicate this situation, but if you switch to another brand, you will likely be purchasing a superior quality product as well. It’s a no-brainer!
I know their sneakers might look appealing, but that is exactly how the devil works–luring you in with something pretty, while hiding the ugly truth somewhere far from sight.
Here are some links with more info on Nike’s sweatshop labor practices:
Team sweat–a coalition whose goal is to end Nike’s sweatshop labor practices.
A full break-down of Nike’s false promises.
This guy wanted to get customized Nike’s with the word “sweatshop” on them.
