Talking with Puma

One way we support workers’ rights is by talking to companies like Puma directly. We often bring up particular factory cases and ask what Puma is doing to protect and promote workers’ rights. We make constructive suggestions based on advice from the workers involved. Here are some examples of our communication with Puma.

We ask Puma to step forward on freedom of association Dec 2011

On June 7 2011, Puma became one of the first global brands to sign onto the Freedom of Association Protocol in Indonesia. The Protocol was the result of an 18-month negotiation process involving major global brands, supplier factories and national level unions in Indonesia. The Protocol aims to ensure that brands and factories who operate in Indonesia uphold freedom of association, which means upholding the right of workers to organise and collectively negotiate for improved working conditions. Oxfam, together with Play Fair, wrote to Puma in December 2011 asking them to report on how the Protocol is being implemented. The letter urges Puma to support and encourage the implementation of the Protocol at the factory level.

Play Fair will continue to monitor the Protocol’s implementation. To find out more visit: http://www.play-fair.org/

Read Play Fair’s letter to Puma

We ask Puma to act on Offside! report Jan 08

In January 2008, we wrote to Puma asking that it act on the Offside! report’s key recommendations for making conditions fairer for workers in supplier factories.

Discussions with Puma while we wrote Offside! 2006

As part of our research for the 2006 Oxfam International report, Oxfam Australia sent letters and a detailed questionnaire to the twelve sports brands (including Puma) assessed in the report. Once Puma responded to the questionnaire, Oxfam Australia engaged in ongoing discussions with it to clarify any points that were unclear.

Clean Clothes Campaign on Puma 2007

A factory called Hermosa making brands including Puma, adidas and Nike in El Salvador closed in May 2005 following an attempt to organize a union. A determined group of 63 workers has since been campaigning to receive their legally owed severance and other payments, and to end the blacklisting that prevents them from getting new jobs in the Maquila. Brands, including Puma, were asked to contribute to a fund to cover their legally outstanding wages, overtime payments and severance pay; as well as to require their suppliers to hire the former Hermosa workers on a priority basis and address the ongoing hiring discrimination.

Learn more

• Read about how we are working to uphold sportswear workers’ rights in our Offside! report (PDF, 4MB)