Category: Labour rights

In this short film 32 year old Hamdani shares the story of his struggle to find work after his unfair dismissal from an adidas supply factory in 2005. He asks adidas and its consumers to think about the human face of production and support the rights of unfairly dismissed workers. Read more »

English / Bahasa Last week I worked 9 hours overtime. This week on top of overtime I’ll also work a Saturday night shift. I will depart for the factory at 9 in the evening and return home at 6 in the morning, possibly not until 7. Long hours are not out of the ordinary for […] Read more »

English / Bahasa My parents are in their sixties now. They are subsistence farmers, but since they don’t own enough land to support themselves, they also work as farm labourers. I should be looking after them, sending them money for their everyday needs. It’s not like they are office workers who retire to a pension. […] Read more »

English / Bahasa A short while ago something happened to me that I never expected and never wanted.  I fell very ill.  To begin with it was only a fever, so I bought some medicine at the local street stall.  But it didn’t help.  Actually it made my condition worse.  Because I don’t have any […] Read more »

English / Bahasa There is a principle that I won’t let go of here—and that’s freedom of association. Five years ago, 33 of us lost our jobs in contravention of our human rights and freedom of association. And to be honest with you, I don’t believe Adidas if they say that what happens in their […] Read more »

English / Bahasa I ask that the CEO of Adidas starts to really pay attention to the rights of workers who make their shoes. I hope that Adidas can guarantee that workers will be given those rights and also paid a wage more appropriate to a prestigious company like Adidas. Why is it that Adidas […] Read more »

English / Bahasa What is the point of codes of ethics or codes of conduct if they are only names thrown about but never implemented? Adidas’ systems need to match up with the principles it purports to support. Freedom of association, and the rights of workers themselves should be given—workers should not be made to […] Read more »

English / Bahasa I always hope that Adidas consumers will think more about the issues faced by the people who make the shoes that they wear. Don’t just be influenced by the sports shoes advertisements that emphasise luxury, wealth, strength and quality. Instead try to look behind the scenes at the workers who make those […] Read more »

From sportswear factories to domestic work overseas, read Sewani’s accounts of her past employment experiences. Short-term contracts Life as an overseas migrant worker Ups and downs of overseas domestic work Impressions from abroad Back to the factory floor Workplace worries Bitter ironies Short-term contracts After graduating from high school I followed in my mother’s footsteps […] Read more »

Read the life story of Sewani* , a 24 year old Indonesian footwear worker. You can follow Sewani’s blog here. Photo: OxfamAUS My story so far My name is Sewani.  I am 24-years-old.  I work in a factory producing a famous brand of sports shoes in an industrial district of Indonesia, not far from the […] Read more »