Students Persuade Nike to Help Honduran Workers

When two of the apparel giant's subcontractors closed their doors in Honduras, 1,800 people lost their jobs. After the urging of numerous student groups, Nike agreed to pay $1.54 million toward a worker relief fund.

Several universities and the group United Students Against Sweatshops pressured the sportswear company to pay the Honduran workers their due severance pay, which the Nike subcontractors neglected to do. In addition to the money, Nike also agreed to offer vocational training and pay health coverage for one year. The students wanted Nike to own up to $2 million in severances, but with the inclusion of training and health, the company will be exceeding that amount.

Nike also pledged to give job-placement priority to these laid-off workers when positions become available with other manufacturers. "We were trying genuinely to find a way in which we can help set up a program that would be meaningful to workers on the ground," Nike spokeswoman, Kate Meyers told The New York Times on Monday.

Universities and student groups can be quite persuasive when it comes to manufacturers who produce college logo apparel. There is a widespread knowledge of negative factory worker conditions and the presence of sweatshops. These young people are serious when it comes to the fair treatment of the people who make the clothes that bares their college name.

"This may be a watershed moment," said Scott Nova, who is the executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium. "Up until now, major apparel brands have steadfastly refused to take any direct financial responsibility for the obligations to the workers in their contractors' factories. Now the most high-profile sports apparel firm has done just that."

The consortium involves 186 universities that monitor factories that make college-logo apparel. It was the consortium that spread the news of the workers who did not receive their due severance.

When university students join together for something they believe in, often they can sway even some of the largest companies. Last November, students rallying against sweatshops got 100 universities to scrutinize their relationship with Russell Athletic due to the company's closing of two plants after the workers unionized.

Jack Mahoney of United Students Against Sweatshops, said, "After we got over 100 universities to boycott Russell, Nike understood the university pressure would not simply go away."

Photo courtesy of Just Pay It.