So, I have long given up on the National Football League and, of course, it’s college football season, so who needs them?
Turns out Nike does and made the fallen angel Colin Kaepernick the centerpiece of their 30th anniversary “Just do it!” advertising campaign.
Doesn’t impact me – well, other than I am not buying any Nike stuff, but I’m a long time vintage Adidas guy anyway.
So, I got interested in what other social justice things Mighty Nike was involved in and, WOW, did I find out some troubling stuff.
Nike, social justice warrior?
Well, dear reader, it turns out that our friends at Nike are a little spotty on their social justice bonafides. Here is what I learned from a self-produced report.
1. Nike runs more than 700 factories to produce their shoes and clothing which have a troubling record of alleged abuses. Nike runs factories in China (124), Vietnam (34), Thailand (73), South Korea (35), South America, Australia, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States. Quite a wide spread.
2. Worldwide, Nike employs 650,000 workers.
3. Nike made a $1,500,000 payment to settle allegations that it, Nike, had made false claims as to how well its workers were treated.
4. Nike is accused of bad behavior in Asia. Let me define “bad behavior.” Bad behavior means:
Physical abuse (found in more than 25% of factories),
Verbal abuse (found in more than 25% of factories),
Restricted access to toilets (25-50% of factories),
Restricted access to water (25-50% of factories),
Work week in excess of 60 hours (50% of factories)
Limited time off – less than one day off in seven (25-50% of factories),
Punishing workers who refused to work overtime (25%), and,
Substandard pay rates below legal minimum wage rates.
This is the face of Nike. Are these sweatshops?
Nike, WTF?
The report from which this data comes was commissioned by Nike who did it to attempt to gain control of their supply chain. Bravo.
The big question is why the Hell did it get so damn bad in the first place?
Nike has joined something called The Fair Labour Association, a good step.
Nike, bottom line it, Big Red Car
OK, here’s the bottom line: Nike, the company championing the social justice concerns of millionaire Colin Kaepernick and the NFL Illuminati is allegedly running sweat shops in Asia. That’s who is doing the virtue signaling and pontificating. Bunch of damn phonies.
Screw Nike – or words to that effect.
Now, let’s give them a bit of credit for admitting some of it.
But, hey, what the Hell do I really know? I’m just a Big Red Car. Be good to yourself and wear your New Balance shoes to the gym. See you there.
