War on Want takes campaign to outside the Olympic Park2

Governance | Kirsty Weakley | 6 Aug 2012

Crowds leaving the Olympic Games last night were subject to a guerrilla campaign by workers' rights charity War on Want lambasting sponsor Adidas for its treatment of Cambodian workers.

War on Want projected a 65-foot high image on to a building overlooking the Olympic Park which showed the Olympic sponsor’s logo with the word "exploitation" replacing the brand name, and featuring the slogan "not ok here, not ok anywhere”. The projection was followed by a slideshow explaining the campaign against Adidas, as 80,000 people left the Olympic Stadium following the men’s 100m final which was won by Usain Bolt.

Murray Worthy, War on Want’s sweatshops campaigner, said: “Adidas are making millions, yet the workers who produce their clothes have to skip meals just to get by. This is exploitation. It wouldn’t be OK for Adidas to do this in the UK and it shouldn’t be OK anywhere else. Adidas must ensure that workers are paid enough to live.”

The charity has accused Adidas of paying Cambodian workers £10 a week basic pay and forcing them to work overtime.

Adidas has not responded to the campaign's latest action. A spokesman for War on Want said that more than 500 people tweeted their support for the campaign.

View the video of the projection below:

Place a comment

Barb
6 Aug 2012

Right on! It brings hope to my heart when I see groups such as War on Want doing actions with or without government funding. And daring to criticise the great of this world, cheeky chaps.
This is what I had in mind when wanted to work in this sector. Hands up everybody who wanted to actually change world (or at least try) and ended up begging their local council for three-month extension of funding or spent last 3 months on writing a tender to NHS for under-priced services, threatened by 'quarterly revision clause' in existing contract?
I'm writing yet another funding bid for services I'm not sure if are needed but demanded by the board that I have little confidence in - what went wrong in my life?!?

[Reply]

Sumita Dutta
7 Aug 2012
Response to [Barb]

You've taken the words right out of my mouth!

[Reply]

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