'President going to Nike to promote trade emphasizes everything that is wrong about trade deal'

[bigtree]

Steven Greenhouse ‏@greenhousenyt
Why is Obama going to Nike to promote his trade deal when 96% of Nike footwear is made in China, Vietnam, Indonesia? http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/barack-obama-nike-trade-20150506 …


____ Nike originally came under fire a decade ago for contracting with factories employing child labor, paying wages below local minimums, and hiring supervisors who used both verbal and physical abuse. More problems surfaced two years ago with subcontractors in Indonesia.

In response, Nike on its website now explains its goals regarding its labor "Code of Conduct," which includes promises to pay wages promptly, not require excessive overtime, and not use child laborers under 16 years of age. A report on the site said that 93 percent of its factories had not reported incidents of excessive overtime.

At the end of 2013, however, nearly a third of Nike's contracted factories still had not met its lowest "bronze" standard, although that figure represents an improvement from 2011, when only half of the factories met that rating.

"In a perverse way, the president going to Nike to promote trade emphasizes everything that is wrong about this trade agreement," said Lori Wallach of Public Citizen, a liberal group founded by activist Ralph Nader. "The firm, and its founder, created the model of low-cost, offshore production that has eviscerated the United States manufacturing base."


read more: http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/barack-obama-nike-trade-20150506

[NYC_SKP]

1. We need to bring the footwear and textiles industries back to America. It ain't rocket science.

I can't believe we all looked the other way in the 1990's when this shit went south.

[Hoyt]

2. You can buy New Balance shoes, some are made here. They can be expensive, but

they are available.

[Maedhros]

3. Because Obama doesn't care that 96% of Nike footwear is made in China, Vietnam and Indonesia? [n/t]

[bigtree]

4. the point isn't whether he 'cares'

...the point seems to be about the unenforceable and uncertain impact of these trade deals which the visit to Nike happens to highlight for those who do 'care' that 96% of Nike footwear is made in low-wage, child laboring sweatshops in China, Vietnam and Indonesia.

[Maedhros]

6. Well, the TPP makes it much easier and more profitable for companies like Nike

to offshore manufacturing. Obama is clearly very committed to the TPP - would he be so committed to it if he was concerned about its effect on what's left of U.S. manufacturing jobs?

But you're right...

[bigtree]

7. question might be

...whether he's convinced himself (been convinced) that he can make enforcement happen. It wouldn't be the first time his pie in the sky optimism clouded his perception of the reality on the ground.

[november3rd]

5. Poor Obama

He's really been snake-charmed by this Free Trade doctrine. He must not be knowledgeable about peak oil, sustainable economies, long-term planning, or the value of moving our money from the Pentagon to our communities.

Nobody's perfect.

[Elwood P Dowd]

8. Phil Knight moved some factories from Indonesia to Vietnam because

the minimum wage increased to $2.25 a day. In Vietnam it was only $1.00 a day. This was back in the late 1990s.

[Cal Carpenter]

9. Kick.