Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Thousands of Indonesian Workers Protest Against US Nike
Around 3,000 workers of PT Doson Indonesia, subcontractor of US sportswear Nike, packed on the major street of Sudirman Tuesday to protest against the withdrawal order by the Nike Inc.
Around 3,000 workers of PT Doson Indonesia, subcontractor of US sportswear Nike, packed on the major street of Sudirman Tuesday to protest against the withdrawal order by the Nike Inc.
The mob's main target was BRI building where Nike leases its representative office in Jakarta. An employee even threatened to lead the others to the US embassy.
They claimed to have been laid off by the company due to the absence of purchase orders.
The angry workers carried a banner which says "Nike runs uncivilized business, clear evidence of capitalism and liberalism."
Earlier Monday, the labor union of PT Doson failed to reach agreement with the management over the amount of separation pay.
The union demanded a five-month separation pay for around 6,800workers following the mass lay-off in the PT Doson, which has served Nike since 1993.
Nike's General Manager to Indonesia Jeff DuMont announced on August 7 the discontinuance of order from PT Doson, on grounds that the company's performance had been the least among other subcontractors here.
Nike began full production in Indonesia in 1988, and by 1996 one third of its shoes were produced here. In 2001, the sportswear giant bought shoes and sportswear from a total of 25 factories in Indonesia.
Similar to the case, US athletic apparel giant Reebok also halt orders from one of its subcontractors in West Java, forcing around5,400 workers out of their jobs.