In a presentation entitled "Starving for the Swoosh," Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu, directors of Educating for Justice, criticized Nike and other multinational corporations for using "sweatshop labor," recounting their personal research experience in Indonesia.
The two provided shocking statistics surrounding the issue: one half of the world's six billion people live on wages of less than $2 per day. Nike, paying its workers $1.25 per day, is the industry leader of the multinational corporations that contribute to this devastating global poverty, according to Keady.
"Ninety to 95 percent of our clothes are made in sweatshops," Kretzu said.
But they emphasized that "we are not anti-Nike, anti-corporation, anti-globalization or anti-capitalism. We are pro-worker, anti-exploitation," Kretzu said. The two said that despite Nike's contrary claims, the company treats its workers as "cogs in a machine."
Keady, who lost 25 pounds during a month living as a worker in Indonesia, said that Nike pays these workers a "starvation wage" and described the living conditions he endured.
"Home is a place where children are forced to live in cement boxes ... where outside the house open sewers line both sides of the street ... where we had to deal with football-sized rats and fist-sized cockroaches," Keady said.
Kretzu and Keady went to Indonesia in search of the truth about sweatshops. Keady had just been "constructively fired" from his soccer coaching position at St. Johns University for refusing to wear Nike apparel.
Keady then wrote to Nike with a proposal to work in one of their factories, with the purpose of doing research, hoping to find that his perceptions of Nike as a sweatshop corporation were unfounded. Nike "was not interested" in hiring him.
According to Keady, the problem lies in inaccurate portrayals and subjective research. He cited a study that the Tuck School of Business did in 1997 that he says "undermines the credibility of the University."
In the study, which was sponsored by Nike, Tuck students interviewed workers selected by the management, which was also present during the interviews. In addition, the students obtained their wage data from the management without confirming that information with workers, according to Keady.
There were Tuck students in the audience who defied Keady's assertions. One student took issue with Kretzu and Keady's criticism of multinational corporations, saying that the workers would be worse off without the jobs Nike provides.
Keady acknowledged the argument that Nike is helping developing countries by bringing in jobs and capitol but disagreed emphatically.
"Nike isn't there on a goodwill mission. Nike is there for one reason: cheap labor. Period," he stated.
But in its efforts to maximize profit, "Nike sets the industry standard -- the wholesale price -- sets the salary of the workers, and, in essence, sets the standard of living," Kretzu said.
He described some of the hardships that he saw Indonesian laborers endure. The workers would often stand working for 16 hours daily, and if they asked to use the restroom, a manager would say, "Bitch, get back in line," according to Keady.
He continued to illustrate the abuses of workers, explaining how workers would mysteriously "disappear" if they tried to organize unions.
"They will come get you in the night ... kick the living s-- out of you. If you are a woman, they are going to gang-rape you," he said, describing actions taken on union leaders.
"I imagine that as human beings, we can agree, 'you know what? That is wrong,'" Keady said.
Near the end of the presentation, Keady referred to his Catholic background and passed around collection plates, urging students to take action that very moment.
Kretzu said students could educate others and spread the word on campus. "Go into the world and make a difference," she urged.