$27 million for Hewitt, violence for workers

BY GEORGINA DAVIES

MELBOURNE — Australian tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt has reportedly signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Nike valued at a cool $27 million. The contract reportedly also includes a bonus clause that could double the figure if Hewitt wins a grand slam title or becomes the world's number one player.

Nike director of legal relations John Slusher has justified the outrageous sum by claiming that Hewitt's "got a personality we think excites people ... he's the complete package".

Just days after the deal was reported in the Australian media, news filtered through that, at 10.30pm on January 11, riot police in full armour attacked 300 striking workers at the Kuk Dong factory in southern Mexico. Kuk Dong International is a Korean-based Nike producer with large factories in Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico.

All 800 workers at the Kuk Dong factory have been staging a work stoppage since January 9, to protest against a range of abuses including low wages, unjust sackings, forced overtime, non-provision of legally mandated health benefits such as maternity leave, restrictions on freedom of association, and restrictions on the formation of an independent union.

Most of the workers are young women from rural villages surrounding Atlixco. Many are single parents and are the sole wage earners for their families. They are paid just $30 for a 45-hour week.

Rene Sanchez Juarez, the leader of the illegitimate and unrepresentative union against which the workers have been fighting, led the police attack. The group of attacked workers included pregnant women as well as minors. Despite their immediate surrender, 15 workers were hospitalised.

Messages of protest can be sent to Nike at <simon.pestridge@nike.com>. Messages of solidarity can be sent to the Kuk Dong workers at <elevenzapatos@hotmail.com>.

From GLW issue 433