Kuk Dong Workers Win Independent Union - posted by David M. Boje - September 25, 2001

http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje

To whom it may concern:

I would like to support the call by Maquila Solidarity Network and by scores of others concerned citizens that Nike and Reebok honor their current contracts with Kukdong (renamed SITEMEX).  The courageous women of Kukdong have won the right to have their voice heard by Nike, Reebok and Kukdong.  We can support them by asking Nike and Reebok to keep the contract, and to allow independent critical academic scholarly study of every one of the 730 Nike factories and the unknown number of Reebok factories.

Please support the Kukdong factory women who have voted in their independent union http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje/AA/kukdong/kuk_dong_workers_win_independent.htm  Keep the contracts.

We went to Atlixco and interviewed two women working at the Kukdong factory, who were part of the factory shut-down and negotiation with the Korean management to establish their voice.   These were women who left because of the violence and do not plan to return to work at Kukdong. We would like to interview more women, but they are fired and punished for talking to outsiders.  I think it is time for the secrecy to stop - http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje/AA/kuk_dong_story.htm  I congratulate the heroic women of Kukdong that brought this change into being.

I have also had a research proposal under review at your office since February 23, 2000. That is a long time. It would be a study that compares Reebok, Adidas, New Balance, and Nike factory conditions and improvements. It is self-funded. We seek only your permission to enter the factories, and help in insuring that workers are not retaliated against for participating.

Study is at http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje/AA/ 

Read the following items and send your support by getting letters, email and faxes to Phil Knight and Paul Fireman.

Sincerely,

 

David M. Boje, Ph.D.

Professor of Management

 

From: Maquila Solidarity Network

Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 4:38:37 PM -0400

 

We have received word that workers at the Kuk Dong factory in Atlixco, Puebla, Mexico have finally won their independent union and a signed collective agreement. This is a precedent-setting victory that could open the door to worker organizing in Mexico's maquiladora sector where, to date, independent unions have not been tolerated.

 

On September 21, the new collective agreement was signed by the company, which has changed its name to Mex Mode, and the independent union, now known as SITEMEX. That same day the contract was filed with the Puebla Conciliation and Arbitration Board, and the union was granted its legal registration. Of the 450 workers currently employed at the factory, 399 signed the application for the independent union.

 

The workers had formerly been "represented" by the FROC-CROC, an "official" labour federation linked to the Puebla State government and Mexico's historical ruling party, the PRI. On August 31, an agreement was reached between all parties involved in the dispute recognizing the independent union and terminating the "protection contract" between the company and the FROC-CROC.

 

The victory is the product of a difficult nine-month struggle by the workers for their right to be represented by the union of their choice. It could not have been possible without the coordinated support provided by the Workers Support Centre (CAT) in Mexico, Students Against Sweatshops groups in the US and Canada, labour organizations including the AFL-CIO and CLC, and solidarity groups including the US Labor Education in the Americas Project (US/LEAP), Campaign for Labor Rights, the Korean House for International Solidarity, and the Maquila Solidarity Network.

 

MSN would like to give special thanks to the 19 Canadian religious, labour, women's, and non-governmental organizations that signed a joint letter to the Mexican government in support of the workers' right to be represented by the union of their choice. On August 17, that letter was presented to the Mexican Ambassador by representatives of the CLC and the Social Affairs Office of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

 

Other organizations that played crucial roles in documenting worker rights violations at the factory and convincing major buyers such as Nike, Reebok and a number of US universities to intervene in support of the workers' right to freedom of association include the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF), Verité, Mexican labour lawyer Arturo Alcalde, and Professor Huberto Juarez and students at the Autonomous University of Puebla.

 

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE WORKERS

This important victory will be a hollow one if the major buyers  Nike and Reebok  walk away from the factory and fail to live up to their commitment to resume and continue placing orders with Mex Mode. We urge you to help the workers consolidate their victory by writing to Nike and Reebok thanking them for the positive role they have played and strongly urging them to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the right of workers to freedom of association by placing orders with Mex Mode.

 

Thanks to all the members and friends of MSN who responded to our many urgent action alerts with letters of support for the workers at Mex Mode, formerly Kuk Dong.

 

Sample Letter (Please write your own, and send a copy to MSN.)

 

Vada Manager, Director, Global Issues Management

Nike Inc.

One Bowerman Drive

Beaverton, OR   97003-6433 USA

Fax: (503) 671-6300

E-mail: vada.manager@nike.com

 

Dear Mr. Manager:

 

I am writing to thank Nike for the positive role your company played in helping to ensure that workers' right to freedom of association at the Mex Mode factory, formerly known as Kuk Dong, in Atlixco, Mexico are respected. I am very pleased to learn that the company and the local Mexican labour board have recognized the union of the workers' choice, and that the new union, SITEMEX, and Mex Mode have successfully negotiated a collective agreement.

 

I would strongly urge your company to demonstrate your ongoing commitment to the right of workers to freedom of association by not walking away from Mex Mode now that a fair resolution to the dispute has been achieved. Please make good on your commitment to the workers at Mex Mode by resuming and continuing to place orders with the factory.

 

I look forward to receiving word that your company is placing and will continue to place orders with Mex Mode as long as the workers' rights are respected.

 

Yours truly,

 

Please adapt the above letter and send to:

For Reebok:

For Nike

Send a fax to Nike and ask them to keep Phil Knight's commitment to allow critical academic scholars to study the 730 factories around the world. Currently, Nike only opens its factory doors to the pro-Nike or paid-consultants. There are over 100 studies, articles, presentations, books, and chapters critical of Nike. There are 4 academics who agree with Nike's version of empirical reality.  Go to Global Exchange and ask Nike to allow a self-funded study of Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and New Balance:

Thank you for your help,

David M. Boje, Ph.D.

Professor of Management

More info on Maquila Solidarity Network: