Nike's image and labor practices: business letters

2. Letter

SportsLife

123 Abbey St. Upper

Dublin 2

6 May 2001

Nike UK

Att.: [NAVN B]

35 Maiden Lane

London WC2

Dear Mrs Waniuk

I am proprietor of a line of sports shop in Ireland, who has Nike products in our assortment. I have received several letters and mails from my shop managers, that customers have comment on Nike’s exploitation of cheap labour, since the article in The Irish Times “The Word that Nike wouldn’t wear.”

I can inform you, that it was not positive comments, I have quoted one of the customers’ comments: “Nike is a company with no work ethic and it is horrible that they are abusing children just so they can make more money.” That is just one of them, another quote, which is even more negative: “Nike is pushing their employees to everything, even 60 hours a week can you believe it? I feel bad of buying their products, so from now on I only buy Adidas or Puma and would keep my hands of Nikes products.” Furthermore the publication of the article in The Irish Time has led to, that I were able to trace a markedly decrease in the sale of Nike products in our assortment.