Millions of garment workers in the Global South who lost their paychecks en masse in Spring 2020. Nike alone has 1.2 million workers in its supply chain and the vast majority are women. These workers faced unprecedented wage losses, from illegal layoffs and terminations to arbitrary pay cuts, unpaid wages for hours worked, and gender-based discrimination.
A year into the pandemic, as garment workers struggled to survive, Nike announced it had made the largest profits in its history. In 2022, Nike authorized a new $18 billion dollar stock buyback program, benefiting wealthy investors. By December 2022, the athletic wear giant enjoyed its best quarterly revenue growth in a decade. Nike advertisements claim to champion equality in athletics while its business decisions triggered a human rights crisis and worsened the gaping inequalities in its own supply chain.
We have decided to fight back against this massive transfer of wealth from the women who make the world’s clothing to some of the world’s richest executives and investors. So, last year Global Labor Justice and Asia Floor Wage Alliance launched the Fight the Heist campaign with over twenty unions across South and Southeast Asia. Since then, garment workers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have mobilized together and spoken publicly for the first time, despite significant risks, to tell the truth about working in the supply chains of Big Fashion companies like Nike.
On February 27th 2023, we launched the Fight the Heist campaign to demand that Big Fashion companies:
Sit down with garment workers and their unions for a systematic investigation of COVID wage claims, including specific impacts on women workers.
Stop billionaire payouts from dividends and stock buybacks until all garment workers are repaid their lost wages.
Transform their global supply chains including providing living wages for all workers.
The Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) is an international alliance of trade unions and labour rights activists who are working together to demand garment workers are paid a living wage.
Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers’ Federation; Bangladesh Garments Workers’ Trade Union Centre; Garments Workers’ Unity League (Bangladesh); Green Bangla Garments Workers Federation (Bangladesh); Textile Garments Workers Federation (Bangladesh); Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU); Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (CCAWDU); Garment and Allied Workers Union (GAWU) (India); Garment Labour Union (GLU) (India); Hosiery Workers Unity Centre (HWUC) (India); Karnataka Garment Workers Union (KOOGU) (India); Mill Mazdoor Panchayat (MMP) (India); Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) (India); Federasi Serikat Buruh Persatuan Indonesia (FSBPI); Garteks (Indonesia); Serikat Pekerja Nasional (SPN) (Indonesia); Muttehda Labor Federation (Pakistan); Pakistan Textile Workers Federation (PTWF); Textile, Power Loom and Garment Worker Federation (Pakistan); Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union (CIWU) (Sri Lanka); Dabindu Collective Union (Sri Lanka); National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka; Revolutionary Existence for Human Development (Sri Lanka); Stand Up Movement Lanka (Sri Lanka); Textile Garment and Clothing Workers’ Union (TGCWU) (Sri Lanka)[/vc_column_text]
Workers and Allies in Action
“Nike owes us better.” “The Olympics would not be the same without us.”
There are so many powerful women to admire during the Olympics this year. Meet Leni, Nur, Dinar, Nisa, Nursya, Nia, Frischa, Nde, and Oshin, Indonesian union garment workers who make Nike athletic wear and who are fighting for living wages. The workers in this video come from three Indonesian unions: Serikat Pekerja Nasional (SPN), Gabungan Serikat Buruh Indonesia (GSBI) and Gartek.
“I love what Nike does to support women’s sports. But I want to know why Nike doesn’t value the daughters and the women who are making these clothes” – Veronica Arreola, Chicago IL. Watch how allies in 9 cities across the US joined in actions on July 16 to bring Fight the Heist to Nike’s doorstep.
“If the women in Nike’s supply chain win decent wages. Guess what – it’s a victory for equality everywhere” – Gina Newton-Cook, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Watch our call to action from CLUW, Communication Workers of America and Worker Activists from Nike’s supply chain in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
“We will make supply chains work for workers, not only just for investors alone” – S. Thivya Rakini, TTCU, India. Watch union leaders from across 6 garment producing countries in South and Southeast Asia explain why we have come together in the Fight the Heist campaign!
Meet the Worker Activists of Fight the Heist
“I feel like a machine now and will work as long as I can. At the end of the day I don’t want to go back from this garment industry as a burden to my family and society. I am ready to fight for that, until the brands give us back our fairwages.” – Sumi Akter, Garment worker and member of Bangladesh“During the COVID period, our workplace suddenly closed, and we were told not to report to work. We were in boarding houses without food, and the company didn’t consider our basic needs. I fight against the inhumane treatment we received.” – Shamali, Former garment worker and member of RED, Sri Lanka“We are not machines to produce your commodity. We are human! We need a fair and decent living wage.” – Leni, Garment worker and member of GSBI, Indonesia“We worked hard in the Covid period, even risking our lives. I want brands to pay us fair wages for our commitment.” – Ariyawathi, Garment worker and member of RED, Sri Lanka “During Covid, I did not have enough food to eat. I ate mangos from a tree to survive. But the factory where I worked earned a lot from us. I stand against wage theft until they pay us back.” – Pooja, Former garment worker and member of Stand Up Movement, Sri Lanka
