She Was a Key Voice of the 1990s Labor Movement in Nike’s Indonesia Factories. Today She Relies on Donations From Abroad.
Notice what's missing.
Once a month, American labor activist Jim Keady logs into Remitly, an app for transferring money abroad, at his New Jersey home and sends $100 to a former Nike factory worker in Indonesia.
Cicih Sukaesih helped bring the world’s attention to the lives of the young women in poor countries who made sneakers in the 1990s, first by organizing a strike and later by marching onto Nike’s bucolic corporate campus in Oregon to demand a meeting with co-founder Phil Knight.
Her story — at a time of police and military harassment of labor organizers abroad — caught the attention of The New York Times and other news organizations. It also helped inform a generation of workers about their rights.
“She helped to birth, I would argue, the Indonesian trade union movement within Nike’s supplier factories,” Keady said.
Cicih during a visit to the United States to campaign for improvements in the labor practices of Nike suppliers. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But media attention and accolades don’t pay the bills. Cicih had trouble finding work following her 1990s activism. (Cicih prefers to go by one name. It’s pronounced “Chee Chee.”)
Decades after her crusade faded from the headlines, Keady and other labor organizers began sending Cicih money to keep her afloat.
“She took a stand and she was a revolutionary,” Keady said. “And she has nothing to show for it.”
Read More
Nike Says Its Factory Workers Make Nearly Double the Minimum Wage. In Indonesia, Workers Say, “It’s Not True.”
Now 62, Cicih welcomed a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive into her home last year, part of a reporting trip that included interviews with about 100 workers who make Nike sneakers, mostly in Indonesia, which was ground zero for the decade of sweatshop criticism that stained Nike’s reputation in the 1990s.
Cicih said she’s proud of the example she set by standing up to Nike. She said workers “became aware of their rights and aware of the law.”
“Many things changed,” she said.
The advocacy led to improvements, she said, including cracking down on child labor, installing better safety equipment and providing menstrual leave.
“Many of my friends,” Cicih said, “became brave enough to speak up.”
Cicih feeds her three cats at home. Now 62, she struggles to get by. She lives with her sister at a home they inherited from their parents. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But she described her work as incomplete because problems linger, including chronically low wages.
Nike did not address specific questions about Cicih’s experience or about the Nike supplier that employed her in the 1990s, nor did Knight provide comment. Instead, Nike issued a broad statement saying, in part, “We’re appreciative of the efforts that individuals and organizations, including Cicih, have made in helping push the industry forward.”
Nike said the company has been “deeply committed to advancing a responsible and resilient supply chain for more than 30 years” and that while progress hasn’t been perfect, it has sought “systemic improvements across the industry.” Nike’s goal, the statement said, is that “all people involved in the manufacturing of Nike’s products are respected, valued, and treated …
Notice what's missing.
Once a month, American labor activist Jim Keady logs into Remitly, an app for transferring money abroad, at his New Jersey home and sends $100 to a former Nike factory worker in Indonesia.
Cicih Sukaesih helped bring the world’s attention to the lives of the young women in poor countries who made sneakers in the 1990s, first by organizing a strike and later by marching onto Nike’s bucolic corporate campus in Oregon to demand a meeting with co-founder Phil Knight.
Her story — at a time of police and military harassment of labor organizers abroad — caught the attention of The New York Times and other news organizations. It also helped inform a generation of workers about their rights.
“She helped to birth, I would argue, the Indonesian trade union movement within Nike’s supplier factories,” Keady said.
Cicih during a visit to the United States to campaign for improvements in the labor practices of Nike suppliers. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But media attention and accolades don’t pay the bills. Cicih had trouble finding work following her 1990s activism. (Cicih prefers to go by one name. It’s pronounced “Chee Chee.”)
Decades after her crusade faded from the headlines, Keady and other labor organizers began sending Cicih money to keep her afloat.
“She took a stand and she was a revolutionary,” Keady said. “And she has nothing to show for it.”
Read More
Nike Says Its Factory Workers Make Nearly Double the Minimum Wage. In Indonesia, Workers Say, “It’s Not True.”
Now 62, Cicih welcomed a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive into her home last year, part of a reporting trip that included interviews with about 100 workers who make Nike sneakers, mostly in Indonesia, which was ground zero for the decade of sweatshop criticism that stained Nike’s reputation in the 1990s.
Cicih said she’s proud of the example she set by standing up to Nike. She said workers “became aware of their rights and aware of the law.”
“Many things changed,” she said.
The advocacy led to improvements, she said, including cracking down on child labor, installing better safety equipment and providing menstrual leave.
“Many of my friends,” Cicih said, “became brave enough to speak up.”
Cicih feeds her three cats at home. Now 62, she struggles to get by. She lives with her sister at a home they inherited from their parents. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But she described her work as incomplete because problems linger, including chronically low wages.
Nike did not address specific questions about Cicih’s experience or about the Nike supplier that employed her in the 1990s, nor did Knight provide comment. Instead, Nike issued a broad statement saying, in part, “We’re appreciative of the efforts that individuals and organizations, including Cicih, have made in helping push the industry forward.”
Nike said the company has been “deeply committed to advancing a responsible and resilient supply chain for more than 30 years” and that while progress hasn’t been perfect, it has sought “systemic improvements across the industry.” Nike’s goal, the statement said, is that “all people involved in the manufacturing of Nike’s products are respected, valued, and treated …
She Was a Key Voice of the 1990s Labor Movement in Nike’s Indonesia Factories. Today She Relies on Donations From Abroad.
Notice what's missing.
Once a month, American labor activist Jim Keady logs into Remitly, an app for transferring money abroad, at his New Jersey home and sends $100 to a former Nike factory worker in Indonesia.
Cicih Sukaesih helped bring the world’s attention to the lives of the young women in poor countries who made sneakers in the 1990s, first by organizing a strike and later by marching onto Nike’s bucolic corporate campus in Oregon to demand a meeting with co-founder Phil Knight.
Her story — at a time of police and military harassment of labor organizers abroad — caught the attention of The New York Times and other news organizations. It also helped inform a generation of workers about their rights.
“She helped to birth, I would argue, the Indonesian trade union movement within Nike’s supplier factories,” Keady said.
Cicih during a visit to the United States to campaign for improvements in the labor practices of Nike suppliers. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But media attention and accolades don’t pay the bills. Cicih had trouble finding work following her 1990s activism. (Cicih prefers to go by one name. It’s pronounced “Chee Chee.”)
Decades after her crusade faded from the headlines, Keady and other labor organizers began sending Cicih money to keep her afloat.
“She took a stand and she was a revolutionary,” Keady said. “And she has nothing to show for it.”
Read More
Nike Says Its Factory Workers Make Nearly Double the Minimum Wage. In Indonesia, Workers Say, “It’s Not True.”
Now 62, Cicih welcomed a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive into her home last year, part of a reporting trip that included interviews with about 100 workers who make Nike sneakers, mostly in Indonesia, which was ground zero for the decade of sweatshop criticism that stained Nike’s reputation in the 1990s.
Cicih said she’s proud of the example she set by standing up to Nike. She said workers “became aware of their rights and aware of the law.”
“Many things changed,” she said.
The advocacy led to improvements, she said, including cracking down on child labor, installing better safety equipment and providing menstrual leave.
“Many of my friends,” Cicih said, “became brave enough to speak up.”
Cicih feeds her three cats at home. Now 62, she struggles to get by. She lives with her sister at a home they inherited from their parents. Muhammad Fadli for ProPublica
But she described her work as incomplete because problems linger, including chronically low wages.
Nike did not address specific questions about Cicih’s experience or about the Nike supplier that employed her in the 1990s, nor did Knight provide comment. Instead, Nike issued a broad statement saying, in part, “We’re appreciative of the efforts that individuals and organizations, including Cicih, have made in helping push the industry forward.”
Nike said the company has been “deeply committed to advancing a responsible and resilient supply chain for more than 30 years” and that while progress hasn’t been perfect, it has sought “systemic improvements across the industry.” Nike’s goal, the statement said, is that “all people involved in the manufacturing of Nike’s products are respected, valued, and treated …
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