Apr. 17, 2004 - 12:48 PST

THE WONDERING JEW

Is Doing

Our son seems to be pretty drained after his chemo his sister says. Of course he won't admit to feeling bad, but it shows. In the next few days he will have the gamma knife operation in hopes that it will be as successful as it has been with brain tumors. We pray.

Machinations in the machinery it appears. An Associated Press article in the business section of The Register Guard, headlined:

Unions ask U.N. to enter Nike dispute, impose sanctions

Sub line, "The sneaker giant is accused of violating the rights of Canadian workers."

"The United Nations has been asked by a group of unions to sanction Nike over allegations that the sneaker giant violated the rights of Canadian workers at its hockey subsidiary."

"The unions contend that Nike has, 'shown little willingness to respect association and bargaining rights,' at its Bauer Nike Hockey unit."

"In doing so, the unions allege , Nike has broken a priciple of the U.N. Gloabal Compact, an initiative that includes businesses identifying themselves as socially responsible. Nike joined the compact in 2000."

"Nike officials denied the allegations. The Global Compact doesn't cover a business restructuring which its hockey unit is undergoing, said Michelle McSorley, a Bauer spokeswoman."

"In a letter to U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan and dated Wednesday, the unions contend that Nike has reduced the size of Bauers bargaining through outsourcing, routinely violated terms of collective bargaining agreements and failed to engage in 'genuine' dialog with unions representing Bauer Nike Hockey emplopoyees at unionized factories in Canada."

"Citing competition, Nike decided last fall to close two Bauer factories, downsize a third and lay off a total 321 employees. The plan for layoffs in the restructuring, almost two-thirds completed so far, has since been curtailed to a target of 288."

"None of Nike's 23,300 workers is represented by unions, with the exception of about 550, or three-fourths of the North American employees at its Bauer unit, according to Nike's 2003 annual report."

"When Nike purchased Bauer in 1995, the hockey apparel and equipment maker employed more than 1,100 unionized workers at three Canadian factories, according to the unions."

+++++++++++++++++++++

"Little willingness to respect association and bargaining units.," yeah, the workers don't have the financial resources and the workers have little might to compete against that. Can't fight city hall or big corporations seems to be the rule the world over.

How should restructuring affect the bargaining rights of employees ? Are their rights suspended ?

Now this Global Compact, I would like to know more about this, also is it binding ? By what laws ? Does our government back that agreement, compact ? Seemes to me that once signed it should be binding, shouldn't it ? Or do those sorts of things bind only Mr. Average Joe ?

Outsourcing ? Oh, Nike wouldn't do that sort of thing would it ? Friends of ours who have traveled much of the world recently told us about the numerous Nike factories they saw as they traveled.

"Citing competition," hah, the battle cry of the corporations, often heard and supposed to justify what ever each BIG entity decides on what to do. And oh, do they do it !

One final thing, "When Nike purchased Bauer in 1995, the hockey and apparel and equipment maker employed more than 1,100 unionized workers at three Canadian factories, according to the unions." So, can't that be checked from government records ? Or is Canada touchy about revealing things like that ? Seems as if Nike has just about gutted their Canadian operation doesn't it ? Looks to me as if the right hand has a very good idea of what the left hand Is Doing . . . . . . . . . .