Call n°279 (From 15 February to 15 May 2005)

THAILAND - DECATHLON MUST PLAY THE GAME

Décathlon, leading sports article distributor in France, fourth in the world, is one of the giants of the textile industry with the wind in its sails. What about human rights? In 2004 the CEO wrote a reassuring answer to people who had questioned the firm on its labour standards, via the collective campaign De l’éthique sur l’étiquette [1]: "Décathlon applies two codes of conduct: an internal one [...], and the code of the FNCASL [national federation of trade in articles for sport and recreation] [2]". The letter then referred to the firm’s commitment to "respect for basic human rights", regular audits by "independent external auditors" and constant control of its 2,500 suppliers by 400 "sub-contractors" on site. On closer examination it appears that all these "measures" are totally insufficient. This is unfortunately what the workers report at the Thai factory MSP Sportswear Co. Ltd. that manufactures products for Décathlon. As victims of trade union repression they have appealed to international solidarity to ensure that the principles affirmed publicly by the firm are translated into reality.

At MSP Sportswear living and working conditions unfortunately correspond to the "standards" of the sports industry: increasingly unbearable pace of work and compulsory overtime, insults from supervisors, daily body searches (which sometimes resemble sexual harassment) and bad quality drinking water.

In November 2003 workers set up a union branch to defend their rights. Initially management refused dialogue and dismissed two union leaders. However, mobilization of local NGOs and the National Human Rights Commission forced it to back down a few months later. Negotiations were launched and the union managed to secure some improvements.

Yet the firm subsequently refused further dialogue. When the union launched its recruitment campaign in October 2004, shortly after obtaining its official registration, management responded by sacking three union leaders on 29 October.

The workers then appealed to a local NGO, the CLIST (Centre for Labour Information Service and Training), and international organizations to put pressure on MSP Sportswear’s two main international customers. Accordingly, the European network Clean Clothes Campaign initiated contact with Nike in November, while the French collective De l’éthique sur l’étiquette - a member of the network - contacted Décathlon for more information.

AN OBVIOUS LACK OF GOOD WILL

Nike management agreed to meet the workers and on 14 December participated in a meeting with representatives of MSP Sportswear and a conciliator from the Labour Ministry. The result was disappointing. The firm refused to reinstate the three unionists and used the carrot and stick approach to reduce them to silence. It proposed compensation to get them to give up their rights and then sacked the mother of one of them. Faced with this stalemate, Nike opted for a passive attitude and relied on local procedure, whereas in terms of its code of conduct it should have done everything possible to ensure that its supplier observed union rights.

Décathlon requested an audit at MSP Sportswear in December 2004. This was followed in January 2005 by a mission to Thailand by the social quality manager who met the CLIST. But information on this mission remains confidential and it seems that the demands of workers and their international partners have borne no fruit.

CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE

Nike and Décathlon, the main contractors of MSP Sportswear, are jointly responsible for the situation at this sub-contractor. Yet they still don’t seem to have decided to take effective action. Faced with this prevarication, an international campaign was launched.

A complaint against Nike was lodged in the US with the Fair Labor Association (FLA), a multipartite organization set up to "verify labour standards", of which the multinational is a member. The same approach is not possible for Décathlon which belongs to no such organization [3].

At the same time mobilization has been launched to urge consumers to contact the two firms. While US-based organizations focus on Nike, our Thai and international partners are counting on European and especially French mobilization to jolt Décathlon into action. Statements of principle are no longer enough; France’s leader in sports equipment must play the human rights game, concretely.

CALL IN LIAISON WITH:

By letter: Cut and paste the letter below or change the wording if you like. Send your letter to the indicated address.
Deadline: as soon as you receive this call (and not later than end-March 2005).

SUGGESTED LETTER

Date :

M. Yves CLAUDE
PDG de Décathlon
4 Bd de Mons - BP 299
59665 VILLENEUVE D’ASCQ CEDEX

Monsieur,

J’ai été alerté(e) par le collectif De l’Ethique sur l’étiquette d’un cas flagrant de violation des droits de l’Homme dans l’usine de MSP Sportswear en Thaïlande.

Je m’inquiète notamment du non-respect des droits syndicaux chez ce sous-traitant de votre entreprise, où trois ouvrières ont été licenciées pour avoir créé un syndicat et demandé le respect de leurs droits.

Je demande à Décathlon d’intervenir sans délai auprès de MSP Sportswear pour que les exigences du syndicat thaïlandais soient satisfaites, parmi lesquelles :
- la réintégration des trois syndicalistes licenciées et de la mère d’un des membres du syndicat (licenciée du fait de ce lien familial) ;
- l’arrêt des activités anti-syndicales ;
- le respect de la liberté d’association et du droit de négociation collective.

Je vous demande également d’agir en concertation avec les organisations de la société civile et de tendre vers des pratiques d’achat qui prennent mieux en compte la qualité sociale.

Restant attentif aux réponses que vous apporterez à cette correspondance, je vous prie d’agréer, Monsieur, l’expression de mes sincères salutations.

Translation

Mr Yves CLAUDE
CEO - Décathlon
4 bd de Mons - BP 299
59665 VILLENEUVE D’ASQ CEDEX

Dear Sir,

I have been alerted by the collective De l’Ethique sur l’étiquette to a blatant case of human rights violations at the MSP Sportswear factory in Thailand.

I am particularly concerned about the failure to respect trade union rights at your sub-contractors where three workers have been dismissed for setting up a union branch.

I wish to urge Décathlon to intervene without further delay to ensure that the Thai union’s demands are met by MSP Sportswear, especially as regards:
- reinstatement of the three dismissed workers and the mother of one of the union members (sacked because of this family tie);
- putting a stop to anti-union activities;
- guaranteeing freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

I furthermore urge you to act on the basis of dialogue with organizations in civil society and systematically to take social quality into account in your purchasing practices.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

[1] Campagne JO XXXXXXXX

[2] Today the FPS, Fédération Professionnelle du Sport

[3] Cf. Collectif de l’éthique sur l’étiquette, Entreprises et qualité sociale, Dossier 2004, January 2004, 55 p.