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On October 6, we looked at the pros
and cons of the campaign to force Nike to set fair labor
standards for its contractors in other countries. Here
are some thoughts. |
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"I think it is wrong
for people to boycott Nike because they are doing what a
lot of other companies do." |
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"Nike shouldn't be blamed, because they have
just exercised capitalism to the fullest extent. More
pressure should be put on foreign governments to bring up
workers' rights. In a capitalistic economy government is
needed to protect workers." |
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"In the Nike example, both the criticism and
response suggest that some definition of global human
rights may emerge in the economic process of
globalization." |
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"Regardless of the real wages of Nike
contractors in Third World nations, I would be interested
in knowing the standard of living of the workers in those
countries, relative to the rest of their citizens rather
than relative to U.S. citizens." |
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"If people were less concerned with image and
more concerned with human rights, two things would
happen: First, minimum wages and working conditions would
rise in Third World countries, and second, maybe I would
pay $20 for my $5 sneakers rather than $120." |
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"People don't have to work if they
don't want to. If a Vietnamese man will work for $2 a
day, let him." |
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"An aspect of Nike that wasn't
brought up in class is the new shops opening rapidly over
the U.S. -- Niketown. I went to the store in Boston this
summer. I was disgusted. It was an in-your-face display
of all of its evil. Four hollow floors of various
displays of everything it owns. There were different
sections for each college team it owns, its sponsors
faces all over . . . . I walked out empty, my feet
burning." |
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"The Nike issue is getting more and
more attention. This is a good thing. My main concern is
that people will be too easily satisfied by a couple [of]
token compromises made by industry. More must be
done and impartial watchdog organizations do not have the
impunity to criticize industry giants. Power is where the
the money is. . . . God save our souls." |