Kori Ellis
07-22-2005, 11:16 PM
Report: Reebok drops ball on sweatshop
By Donna Goodison
Saturday, July 23, 2005
http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=94945
Reebok jerseys bearing the names of NBA and NFL athletes - including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady - were made in a Honduran sweatshop, a national labor group charged yesterday.
The jerseys, which retail for $75, allegedly were sewn by workers paid 19 cents a shirt, the National Labor Committee said.
The watchdog group maintains workers were locked in a factory compound for 10 to 13 hours a day and discriminated against if they became pregnant. The workers, paid a base wage of 65 cents an hour, also were forced to work up to 64 hours weekly, it alleged.
The group hopes to improve working conditions by putting pressure on pro athletes such as Brady.
``These are really smart people and really decent people,'' Executive Director Charles Kernaghan said. ``I'm sure they don't have any idea what's going on.''
Reebok International Ltd. disputed the accuracy of the group's 100-page report, after conducting its own investigation. The Canton company denied workers are locked in the factory and said there's no evidence pregnancy tests are ``in use today at this factory.''
Reebok also maintained the jerseys shown in the labor group's photos were not made in the Honduran factory.
``Contrary to statements in the report, Reebok's code of conduct is prominently posted in the factory in Spanish,'' Reebok said. ``Compensation at the factory is consistent with requirements under local law.''
Reebok is hiring an independent agency to assess workplace factory conditions, it said.
``The report contains serious allegations, and we take them seriously,'' the company said.
The NFL was first alerted to the report by the ``Inside Edition'' TV show last week.
``Reebok has assured us that the allegations in the report contain many inaccuracies,'' spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
The NBA issued a similar statement.
By Donna Goodison
Saturday, July 23, 2005
http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=94945
Reebok jerseys bearing the names of NBA and NFL athletes - including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady - were made in a Honduran sweatshop, a national labor group charged yesterday.
The jerseys, which retail for $75, allegedly were sewn by workers paid 19 cents a shirt, the National Labor Committee said.
The watchdog group maintains workers were locked in a factory compound for 10 to 13 hours a day and discriminated against if they became pregnant. The workers, paid a base wage of 65 cents an hour, also were forced to work up to 64 hours weekly, it alleged.
The group hopes to improve working conditions by putting pressure on pro athletes such as Brady.
``These are really smart people and really decent people,'' Executive Director Charles Kernaghan said. ``I'm sure they don't have any idea what's going on.''
Reebok International Ltd. disputed the accuracy of the group's 100-page report, after conducting its own investigation. The Canton company denied workers are locked in the factory and said there's no evidence pregnancy tests are ``in use today at this factory.''
Reebok also maintained the jerseys shown in the labor group's photos were not made in the Honduran factory.
``Contrary to statements in the report, Reebok's code of conduct is prominently posted in the factory in Spanish,'' Reebok said. ``Compensation at the factory is consistent with requirements under local law.''
Reebok is hiring an independent agency to assess workplace factory conditions, it said.
``The report contains serious allegations, and we take them seriously,'' the company said.
The NFL was first alerted to the report by the ``Inside Edition'' TV show last week.
``Reebok has assured us that the allegations in the report contain many inaccuracies,'' spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
The NBA issued a similar statement.