Support Indonesian union leaders today and write to adidas today!

Indonesian union members are desperately looking for new jobs as they appear to have been blacklisted at adidas suppliers due to their labour rights activism. Since the closure of the PT Spotec and PT Dong Joe factories in November 2006, seven SBGTS union leaders have unsuccessfully been searching for permanent employment at the new adidas supplier Ching Luh. And 33 SBGTS (earlier Perbupas) union members are still without jobs after being unfairly dismissed from the PT Panarub supplier in October 2005 in response to a strike.

In its code of conduct, adidas ensures freedom of association. In reality, however, union members frequently face discrimination at adidas suppliers; they increasingly report difficulties finding employment with adidas. The CCC, therefore, asks adidas to protect union members from discrimination and to assist the SBGTS union members to find employment. We call on adidas to ensure freedom of association and to implement the Sector Wide Solutions for the sports shoe and apparel industry in Indonesia put forward by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and Oxfam Australia.

Since the shut-down of the adidas suppliers PT Spotec and PT Dong Joe in November 2006, thousands of workers have been looking for decent work. After receiving more than 3000 letters from CCC activists across Europe and Australia, adidas has made an effort to re-employ former workers at other suppliers. Of the 10.500 workers, 1285 have found jobs with Ching Luh, which took over production at the former PT Spotec factory. Although this is promising news, about 900 workers are still waiting for their applications to be processed. This includes the seven SBGTS union leaders who filed their applications in time. They are forced to take on precarious jobs despite years of experience making shoes for adidas. Thus, adidas suppliers appear to be discriminating against union leaders in an attempt to stop labour organising at their factories.

Similarly, about 30 union members formerly employed at the adidas supplier PT Panarub have been seeking re-employment after being unfairly dismissed in October 2005. They had gone on strike to ask for higher wages and better working conditions, a right according to international labour standards and the adidas code of conduct. International campaigning by the CCC and others resulted in a reasonable severance pay-out. However, the union members have not been able to find permanent employment despite repeated attempts with adidas suppliers.

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Take Action!
Please write a mail to adidas and urge them to

* actively engage for the SBGTS union members’ re-employment;
* ensure the right to organise and freedom of association at their suppliers;
* implement the Sector-Wide Solutions for the sports shoe and apparel industry in Indonesia.

Take action now at: http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/09-02-11.htm#action