Aslam Hidayet, ex-worker Kizone factory: 'Adidas deceives us'

The letter from the workers below, highlights why this is an absurd argument.

The good news is that in the US the University of Washington and Rutgers University have now cut their contract with adidas for university goods, joining University of Cornell and Oberlin College. The President of the University said: “I fully agree with the committee's conclusion that, by taking the position that it had no responsibility for severance payments to its supplier's former workers, adidas falls short of the University's expectations for its licensees.”

The pressure will continue. People and Planet, the UK students' campaign, held demonstrations outside adidas stores across the UK on Saturday 1st December.

Thanks again for your support!

Aslam Hidayat, ex-worker at the Kizone factory:

We would like to thank the supporters, unions, and others in Europe and America who have supported us in our struggle to win our rights.

Adidas has said that the workers were satisfied with the vouchers from adidas - but that is a lie. The Kizone workers can't think about "satisfaction" in a real way. We aren't naive, we of course are pleased. But we are not satisfied. Many of our coworkers sold the vouchers to other people, to cover debts and buy things they needed that you can't buy at Alfamart, the only supermarket where we could use the vouchers. Adidas is deceiving the Kizone workers.

On behalf of the Kizone workers, workers are very grateful for what you do, not just for workers in Indonesia but to fight for truth and universal justice. We know that the struggle is not always smooth. Only because we have the certainty that what we believe is true, we will not cease to fight.

We know that we must tell the brands and the people who use the products manufactured by workers in Asia and Latin America to eliminate slavery on the face of this earth. Right now, it is our chance to be a tiger in that global movement.

Please keep standing with us!

In solidarity, Aslam Hidayat