Nike is a company known world wide for its products such as clothing, footwear and sports equipment. Nike has factories all around the globe in third world countries such as Vietnam, Pakistan, India and China. It is said that their labour practices are extremely inappropriate. Most people want to boycott Nike and close down their factories in all third world countries. Nike being such a wealthy and successful company is under the eyes of millions of people. Customers, protestors, human rights agencies, even people walking down the street are watching the company's every move. Regardless of all the points people raise against the company, Nike should not be boycotted. Nike accepts part of the blame that has been placed but regardless of all the negative aspects that come out of the labour practices of the company, Nike is a provider for the poor population in all the underdeveloped countries that the factories are set up in. Nike has started programs to educate their workers, pays workers above minimum wage and gives them overtime and has also made major changes in the working conditions of the factories after hearing all the complaints.
One of the issues that have been brought up again and again is that Nike practices unsafe working conditions at the factories, which is harmful for the workers. These unsafe practices include the workers being exposed to harmful chemicals, which result in them having respiratory and allergic diseases. It has also been stated that Nike factories do not have proper medical facilities. "The medical staff at the facility is deemed too small to serve the needs of such a large number of workers" (unknown, 1997). However, even though Nike agrees to some of these issues, the company has taken serious action to remedy the situation. They have taken many steps towards practicing safety precautions while working with dangerous harmful chemicals. "The company has also pioneered the use of safer water-based solvents in shoe adhesives, he said, in response to criticisms that Nike workers are forced to breathe harmful fumes.
