Dear Friends,

I am sorry this e-mail is a wee bit long but as I mentioned the other day I
think the world cup is a great way into exploring business ethics (and the
sportswear industry) in the global economy.

Statement by the Clean Clothes Campaign and the Global March Against Child
Labour

FIFA Tolerates Massive Violations of Labour Rights

The Clean Clothes Campaign and the Global March Against Child Labour call
upon FIFA and the sporting goods industry to live up to their own promises
and responsibilities to make football a fair game, by giving adult workers
better working conditions and taking children out of work and into schools.

We are deeply concerned about the sub-standard working conditions of 
workers and the ongoing use of child labour in the sporting goods 
industry.  Some products made by sponsors and licensees, using the FIFA 
and/or the 2002 World Cup logos, are violating fundamental and other rights
of workers.

In the past months, new research has been done on working conditions in the
sportswear and football production in China, India, Indonesia and 
Pakistan.  The results are simply shocking.  The newly published reports 
show clear evidence of inhumane working conditions. Such violations as the
right to organise and practice collective bargaining being suspended, 
forced overtime work, discrimination against women, the use of child labour
and paying wages below the legal minimum or wages which cannot meet the
needs of the workers and their families.
For copies of the full reports, please 
see:  http://www.globalmarch.org/world-cup-campaign/ or 
http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign.htm

Furthermore, the Clean Clothes Campaign and the Global March Against Child
Labour were appalled when FIFA declared that they "cannot be held 
responsible for the labour conditions in factories," in a letter sent to 
the Clean Clothes Campaign, on April 16, 2002.  This statement is in clear 
contradiction to the standards set by FIFA, regarding the labour rights for
the production of its licensed goods. Furthermore it negates the dialogue
that FIFA has been maintaining with civil society organisations and
international agencies in the recent past, especially with the Global March
since the launch of the World Cup Campaign 2002. FIFA should be reminded
that they have drafted their own code of conduct in partnership with the
international trade unions in 1996.  FIFA has also agreed to licensing
contracts with companies using FIFA and World Cup logos for their
sportswear, footballs and other sporting goods, which include fundamental
labour rights set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the
Model Code established by the World Federation of the Sports Goods Industry
(WFSGI).

The statement from FIFA and the lack of willingness to maintain an open 
dialogue with civil society groups on this matter have alarmingly increased 
our concerns about the implementation of FIFA's legal and social 
obligations to the workers who produce FIFA licensed products and other 
football related goods. FIFA, via FIFA Marketing AG, has commercial 
interest in its contracts with companies using the FIFA logo to generate 
billions in profit, it seems to leave out questioning corporate social 
responsibility of such companies.

The violations of the legal and social obligations of both FIFA and the 
sporting goods industry towards the workers and children cannot go on any
longer. Therefore, we demand that FIFA must:

·     Take full responsibility for the labour conditions in all the factories
where FIFA licensed goods are manufactured;

·     Make sure that no child is employed in the production of FIFA-licensed
sportswear and footballs, as well as making sure that all children removed
from labour are rehabilitated and given the opportunity to receive an
education;

·     Sign and implement the FIFA Code of Labour Practice that was agreed upon
by FIFA, ICFTU, ITGLF and FIET (now UNI) in 1996 and declare that code to
be binding in all contracts with FIFA licenses and sponsors; and,

·     Agree on a transparent, credible and independent system for the 
monitoring and the verification of production as it is outlined in the 
Clean Clothes Campaign code of labour practice.


FIFA, ILO, UNICEF, trade unions and civil society organisations have taken
a step in the right direction by establishing social protection projects
and monitoring systems to prevent and eliminate child labour in India and
Pakistan.  It has been proven that change is possible, but they must be
implemented quicker and with a wider and more comprehensive scope.

The emphasis placed by FIFA on child labour in the implementation of its 
code of conduct undermines the labour rights of all their workers. We have
yet to see a monitoring system, which addresses the labour standards set in
the Model Code of WFSGI and/or in the FIFA licensing agreements. In a
series of country reports, we have found that children are forced into work
while their parents are not guaranteed to earn enough to provide for the
whole family. The elimination of child labour is not possible simply by
setting up non-formal schools or by offering families grants for sending
children to schools.  It will only be possible when all adult workers are
given full access to their rights, including: the freedom of association 
and the exercise of their collective bargaining powers, living wages, and 
healthy and safe working environment.

It would be a grave offense against the principles of FAIR-P(L)AY if FIFA
should keep giving business to sponsors and licensees who violate the
rights of their workers, while denying its own responsibilities to "play 
fair". It is responsible to ensure that all parties involved in the
production of football are treated with respect as human beings. How sporty
does it feel for the consumers and sports(wo)men to wear a shirt or kick a
ball with the FIFA logo that stands for exploitation?

Will the logos on the footballs and the licensed goods of the 2002 FIFA 
World Cup shine to reflect a victory for all the workers involved in the 
production of football?

The Clean Clothes Campaign and the Global March Against Child Labour will
closely follow FIFA and the sporting goods industry over the coming weeks
and months.  We will report any progress, and any lapses or shortcomings to
the public as they arise. We hope that the 2002 FIFA World Cup will be the
turning point to fully realise the demands made by the World Cup Campaign
2002. We hope that FIFA, the ILO, UNICEF, the international trade union
network and civil society groups will soon be able to come together in an
open dialogue towards establishing a good code of conduct and a transparent
and effective monitoring system to bring an end to child labour and to give
fair working conditions for all adult workers.




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Finbarr Carter    ([log in to unmask])

Project Co-ordinator
'Just Business'

www.jusbiz.org

Norfolk Education and Action for Development
38 Exchange Street, Norwich, NR2 1AX
Tel: 01603 610993
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Registered Charity: 1010853
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