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The FIFA Women's World Cup is now underway, providing a significant opportunity for labor activists to advocate for garment workers' rights. Among them is Labour Behind the Label, a UK-based organization dedicated to labor rights in the global apparel industry. This week, they launched an impactful campaign urging renowned US soccer star Megan Rapinoe to pressure Nike, her sponsor, to compensate garment workers in Cambodia and Thailand fairly.
As part of this campaign, supporters are invited to send a pre-written letter addressed to Rapinoe and other prominent US soccer stars, including Tobin Heath, Christen Press, and Meghan Klingenberg. The message highlights the plight of two groups of workers who have been profoundly affected.
The first group comprises 1,284 former employees of the Violet Apparel factory in Cambodia. These workers were abruptly laid off without prior notice when the factory unexpectedly closed its doors in July 2020. Astonishingly, they were denied their legally-owed compensation totaling $1.4 million, leaving many to grapple with lingering debts from that period.
In Thailand, Labour Behind the Label sheds light on the predicament of over 3,000 employees at Nike supplier Hong Seng Knitting. During the pandemic, these workers were unjustly denied their furlough pay, which they were legally entitled to. The campaign alleges that the factory refused to provide the due payment and threatened the workers, who are now collectively owed $800,000.
Most of these garment workers are women who have relentlessly sought what Nike rightfully owes them for years. Despite having explored every possible avenue, Nike has unabashedly ignored their pleas and shirked responsibility, all while espousing women empowerment slogans in their advertisements.
Labour Behind the Label draws attention to Rapinoe and her teammates' ongoing fight for equal pay within the US Women's National Team. Notably, Nike celebrated the team's victory in the 2019 Women's World Cup four months after they sued the US Soccer Federation for pay discrimination. In this vein, Labour Behind the Label commends Rapinoe's advocacy for fair pay. It highlights the critical need for Nike to address the garment workers' struggle and ensure they receive their rightful compensation.
In its letter to Rapinoe, the organization asked Rapinoe to leverage her voice and influence by raising this urgent matter with Nike. She asked her to use her voice and share her power to ensure that garment workers are paid justly.
Photo: Travel Nomades/Unsplash
