darren_stranger | Everything counts in large amounts.. (Reply)

Since i'm sick of stewing on what's wrong with the world all the time, i've decided to try to get back to the mindset of it always being worth a try to fix it, instead of giving it all up as hopeless.

With that in mind, here's the latest campaign from Oxfam, encouraging the International Olympic Committee to put pressure on sportswear manufacturers to give a fairer deal to the people who work in the sweatshops making the threads for our elite athletes to strut around in:

www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mtf/labour/olympics.

(It's one of those things where you can either write your own eloquently worded missive or just send their pre-cooked version)

In this edition of the Activist, we are asking you to write to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stressing the importance of acting to improve the conditions of sportswear workers making Olympic sportswear and uniforms. To send an email go to:
www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mtf/labour/olympics.

Stay up to date with our campaign actions, news and events by visiting:
www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/network/

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE NEEDS TO FEEL THE HEAT
In the lead up to the Olympics we want to exert maximum pressure on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to recognise that it has a
responsibility to the people who make the sportswear for Olympians and the sportswear that bears the Olympic logo. It is not good enough for the IOC to make millions of dollars out of licensing the Olympic logo to sportswear companies and then say it has no responsibility towards the women who make that sportswear. Profiteering from the poverty and exploitation of others is not acceptable.

The IOC constitution gives the IOC control over the use of the Olympic logo. The IOC could, if it chose, use its unique position to get genuine reform in the working conditions and lives of sportswear workers. It could develop guidelines for ensuring that basic human rights are respected in sportswear factories where Olympic garments are made. It could make such guidelines applicable to all national Olympic committees.

All the major sportswear companies want to align themselves with the Olympics and sports stars. The Olympics and endorsements from sports stars give the sportswear companies their credibility and influences their sales. It is no accident that Nike is the supplier of uniforms to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) - for Nike this is good business.

What is suprising is that while the IOC claims to support the aims of our campaign, it will not use its influence to change the situation. We are not asking the IOC to do anything extraordinary - we just want them to show some basic social responsibility.

You can email the IOC at: www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mtf/labour/olympics
Just fill in your details and send! A copy of that email is below. If cutting and pasting please send the email to us and we will forward it to the IOC. We would like to flood the IOC with letters in the days before the Olympics.

LETTER TO IOC

Mr Jacqes Rogge
President International Olympic Committee
Chateau de Vidy
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland

Dear Mr Rogge,

According to the Olympic Charter, the goal of Olympism is to place everywhere sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to encourage the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity." This is a goal that I endorse and an essential part of what makes the Olympics special. Given this goal however I find it incomprehensible that the IOC will not take a strong stand in eradicating the exploitation and loss of human dignity that is taking place in the sportswear industry.

Excessive overtime working up to 17 hours a day, poverty wages, personal abuse, the lack of job security, unrealistic piece-work rates, sexual harassment and the denial of the right to join a union are all too common in the making of our sportswear. These conditions destroy human dignity and perpetuate poverty.

The Olympic movement is uniquely placed to help change this situation. The big sportswear companies vie for contracts to produce sportswear and uniforms for Olympic athletes in countries around the world. They vie for contracts to make clothes bearing the Olympic logo. None of the sportswear made under these contracts should be made under conditions that abuse workers' basic human rights.

The Olympic Charter says that the "use of an Olympic emblem must contribute to the development of the Olympic Movement and must not detract from its dignity." Having Olympic sportswear made under the conditions described above however does detract from the dignity of the Olympic Movement and runs counter to the Olympic Charter.

The Olympic Movement through the IOC has the opportunity to make a difference. I am therefore extremely disappointed that up to now the IOC
has not accepted its share of responsibility in this situation. I call on you to reconsider this issue and initiate constructive discussions with Oxfam, Clean Clothes and the Global Union Movement about how to improve the situation of sportswear workers.

I wish the Athens Olympics well, but hope that future Olympics will also bring a little joy and human dignity to sportswear workers around the world.

Yours Sincerely