Critics say that Reebok's report on conditions at two
sub-contracted Indonesian factories, "though welcome, fell
far short," according to Greg Gatlin of the BOSTON HERALD.
Critics note the report examined "only two of hundreds of
shops Reebok hires," and the changes made to correct the
conditions "amounted to window dressing, and fail to get at
fundamentally unfair wages." Jeff Ballinger, Dir of Press
for Change, which monitors Asian labor conditions, said that
the report "appears to be more about public relations and
marketing." Ballinger: "They (Reebok) haven't forced their
contractors to sit down with workers in a dignified manner
and work out problems" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/19). But CNN's
Allan Dodds Frank reported that Int'l Labor Rights Fund's
Bama Athreya "praised" Reebok. Athreya: "You've gotten from
a point where it was all just find the dirt through the [TV]
expose to a point where it's let's think about some creative
solutions to make things better in these factories. And
this is one of the experiments, if you will, in trying to
find a way to make things better." Frank: "Such studies may
improve working conditions at individual plants, especially
if a company orders the subcontractor to do better. But
they rarely have much impact on other employers in places
like Indonesia, where dismal working conditions are so
widespread ("Moneyline," 10/18). Human Rights Watch's Asian
unit Dir Sidney Jones: "[Reebok] asked the right questions,
developed a useful methodology, and they've done it all with
the fullest possible transparency and made the findings
public" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/19). Medea Benjamin, spokesperson
for S.F.-based labor rights group Global Exchange: "That's
what we've been asking companies to do, be honest, be open
and be public. I think it's great that Reebok did this."
Reebok Exec VP/Human Rights Sharon Cohen: "We hope that this
will also break through and encourage more companies to do
something like this. We have nothing to hide" (AP, 10/19).
STUDENTS PUSH FOR CHANGE: The Leaders of United
Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) will publish today its
"Worker Rights Consortium," a document that "demands better
wages for workers, independent human rights verification,
and the public disclosure of factories that make university
clothing and footwear" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/19).
