Call # 249 May 2002

The Football World Cup is one of the most expected international sports event by all sports amateurs in general and in particular by football amateurs. This year, the two host countries, South Korea and Japan, are getting ready to welcome thousands of supporters and to broadcast the coming matches everywhere in the world. Every four years, as usual, FIFA (international organization responsible for this worldwide championship) establishes a list of the official sponsors of the 2002 World Cup: among them, Adidas (global producer, n°1 in sportswear and sports equipment, main partner of the French team), Coca-cola and Mac Donald’s (two great multinationals in the food processing industry). Now, two recent inquiries and an international campaign show serious infringement of trade union freedom and illegal working conditions (which do not respect health and security of the workers) in the factories of several of their Asian and South American subcontractors.

Leily works in the West of Java, Indonesia, in PT Nikomas Gemilang factory, which manufactures sports shoes for very famous brands in sports industry, among which Adidas. Leily, who is married to a factory worker, has to leave her child in her parents’ care: with her long working hours and low wage, she cannot look after her child.

They both earn about 80 USD a month, which is not enough to pay for the bare essentials of life. In order to send money to the grandparents and to go and see their child, the couple has no choice but to work extra hours. And they cannot even join a union! Two years ago, Leily attended a workers’ meeting: she was subjected to pressure and was threatened with redundancy.

Adidas, Coca-Cola and Mac Do, low wages and insecurity at work

The inquiry, jointly lead by several NOG (1) in the factories of subcontractors of Adidas in Indonesia, is following a first report published in September 2000.

Even if there have been improvements, in particular concerning attacks, pressure and violence against the workers, the wages are still very low (between 37 and 44 USD a month) and the trade union freedom is still reassessed.

The situation is also very difficult in China, in the factory of another subcontractor of Adidas, which manufactures soccer balls for the brand under the FIFA licence.

In the five factories manufacturing toys for Mac Donald’s " happy meals " in the province of Guangdong of Chine, the situation is nearly the same (2): piecework payment, non-paid extra hours and more than 11 hours of work a day in the high season period.

The inquiry lead by the HKCIC also reveals the fraud during audits, in particular concerning wages.

In Colombia and Guatemala, at several of Coca-cola’s subcontractors which produce and bottle the famous drink, the situation of the union activists is very difficult. They are subjected to constant violences and threats and suffer from strong pressures to reduce wages. A complaint was lodged by several American trade unions against Coca-cola ans its Colombian supplier. This complaint denounces the bad treatments, kidnappings and murders of union activists. An international campaign was launched (see call n°248, April 2002).

Official partners of the World Cup

Several times already, Adidas, Coca-Cola and Mac Donald’s have seriously been criticized for the numerous infringements of Human Rights at work in the factories of its subcontractors. Today, these three great companies still continue to off-load their responsibilities on their subcontractors, concerning the respect of human rights at work, (even though Adidas and Mac Donald’s adopted a code of conduct). Paradoxically, the three companies seem to give great importance to their image.

For the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Adidas, Coca and Mac Donald’s will be on the front line as they appear on the prestigious list of FIFA official partners (International Federation of Association Football, organization in charge of the international competitions and of the football promotion). The three multinationals involved themselves in giving technical support to this sports event, and to promote it. In return, they are propelled in the mediatic scene and benefit from the "World Cup effect".

A month before, during and after each match, the names of the sponsors will appear on every TV screen, which corresponds to hundreds of hours of mediatic exposure. Such a privilege is a real godsend, if we consider that more than half the world population watched the previous World Cup. Is there a better way to promote one’s image?

This is also the best way to sell tee shirts, caps, football bags, balls, sodas and hamburgers with the symbolic FIFA logo.

Act now!

Under pressure of the previous international campaigns, FIFA adopted a code of conduct that oblige the companies manufacturing products under its licence to respect and enforce the social rights in every production site. It also announced it was encouraging its partners "to be more than brand names seen again and again by billions of people".

As FIFA wishes to promote football and protect the good image of this sport, it has to become aware of the part it has to play in the fight for the improvement of working conditions of the employees, and for the respect of working rights in the sports industry.

Let’s act now and get mobilized for ethics and solidarity in the sports industry (3).

1. Inquiry lead by the Clean Clothes Campaign, Oxfam Canada, Maquila Solidarity Network, Global Exchange...

2. Report established by the HKCIC (Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee)

3. An intertional campaign is under way on the initiative of the Global March Against Child Labour association and relayed in particular by the Clean Clothes Campaign.

On the Web, for more information...

About Adidas: www.cleanclothes.org/companies/adid...

About Coca-cola: www.cokewatch.org ou www.usleap.org

About FIFA and the 2002 World Cup: www.fifa.com

Just write!

Mr Zen-Ruffinen, Secrétaire Général de la FIFA

FIFA House

P.O. Box 85

8030 Zurich

Switzerland

Fax : 00 41 1 384 96 96

Text suggested (this text is only a suggestion, you can adapt it to your own style)

Dear Secretary General,

I have been informed by Réseau Solidarité (Reseau-Solidarité 10, quai de Richemont 35000 RENNES - FRANCE) about the bad working conditions in the factories of several of Asian and South American subcontractors of Mac Donald’s, Adidas and Coca-Cola.

I therefore ask you to:

Take all necessary measures for the companies using your licence (such as Adidas) to respect the social rights of your code of conduct, in particular by developping your control system and by asking NOG and groups of workers of the concerned countries to join in;

Put pressure as much as possible on the official partners of the World Cup (among which Adidas, Coca-cola and Mac Donald’s) for them to get involved in enforcing the social rights in all their production sites;

Learn your lesson from the irresponsible behaviours of some of these companies;

Take advantage of the international prestige of FIFA to promote more ethics and solidarity within the sports industry.

Yours truly

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