Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), a labour watchdog, was not allowed inside the premises of Hansae Nike factory in Vietnam, struck by workers’ agitations.
WRC, an independent monitor affiliated with nearly 200 US colleges, wanted to inspect the plant following the employees’ strike, but the watchdog group’s entry was reportedly not facilitated by Nike.
Claiming that Nike denied them access into the premises, WRC Director Scott Nova said he was “surprised and concerned” that Nike “effectively refused to let us in the door”.
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In response to this allegation, Nike’s chief sustainability officer Hannah Jones retorted, “These are not our factories to control.”
The workers, who produce university-branded Nike clothes, have held a pair of walkouts over the working conditions late last year. The year-long issue is still on, and Nike is still adamant over its position, which is to say that they are transparent and maintain the highest standards of labour conditions.
Nike has a history of conflicts with labour watchdogs and activists, which had in the 1990s led to the image of the brand getting tarnished by various issues concerning the workers’ condition and wage-related issues.
At that time, Nike had been adamant about its policy of not being held accountable for its suppliers’ actions. But 20 years hence, the company has become a poster child for corporate social responsibility, under which, brands have the onus to take care of workers’ interest at every level of the supply chain, down to the bottom rung.
