Nike admits guilt
BY BRIAN TUPP
MELBOURNE — Unionists and anti-outwork campaigners have described as a victory an admission by clothing and footwear giant Nike, in Melbourne's Federal Court on June 6, that it had failed to comply with the Clothing Trades Award. The manufacturer was fined $15,000 for three breaches.
"All the PR-speak in the world cannot change the fact that Nike's admission of guilt is on record", said Pamela Curr of Fairwear, the group which has been fighting Nike's labour practices.
Curr said, however, that Fairwear "will not rest until Nike join the 120 other companies who have signed the Homeworkers Code of Practice", which aims to improve the terrible conditions suffered by clothing workers around the world.
The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia was also happy at the ruling, its outwork coordinator Annie Delaney calling it a "benchmark to other companies to comply with the award or face the consequences".
The company was found to have breached award stipulations by not registering with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission as having given its work to other manufacturers or contractors and by not telling the AIRC who was making their Nike brand clothing.
Delaney said that the penalty is three times the previous highest amount awarded by the court for such breaches and that Nike must be embarrassed by the outcome.
"We estimate that Nike has spent over $100,000 in legal costs to get to the court door this morning to defend this case", she said. " No company goes to such expense for mere technical breaches."