April 21, 1997, Monday
OUR READERS' VIEWS
I am on a crusade for human rights against a well-known athletic apparel
company located in Beaverton for its business practices in Hanoi.
Working 12 hours daily for 20 cents an hour constitutes modern human slavery.
Nike shoes sell for around $ 100 or more a pair. The company's revenues topped $
2 billion last year, providing a huge return for company stockholders.
With the easy money for stockholders and corporation executive officers, may
their consciences give them sleepless nights dwelling upon the abuse of human
rights that they unknowingly approved in the pursuit of gigantic profits.
To divert the attention of American citizens, the company fired one plant
manager who abused women employees, but it ignored the problems of hundreds of
women and girls in five Vietnam plants.
It seems evident that Nike contractors are allowed to set the wages and
working conditions.That sort of negligence on the part of an American
corporation is an abuse of human rights in contravention of the position of the
State Department.
Nike shoes are strutting all over our streets, gyms, playgrounds and homes. I
urge readers to write to Nike headquarters, the chairman of the executive board,
at No. 1 Bowerman Drive, Beaverton, OR97005.
Helmi Kortes-Erkkiila
Vancouver