Tell Nike: Tell the Truth About Factory Pay

Nike sells inspiration. Its workers live on poverty wages. And Nike lies about it.

Nike claims factory workers make nearly double the minimum wage. But Indonesian workers say “it’s not true,” and that Nike is actually seeking even cheaper labor. Workers in Cambodia report skipping meals, working crushing overtime, and collapsing from exhaustion just to survive. Many who speak up are intimidated or lose their jobs. And it’s all so Nike can make higher profits on shoes sold for hundreds of dollars in the U.S.

Nike CEO Elliott Hill has a choice. Nike can tell the truth. It can publish real wage data, commit to paying living wages across its supply chain, and stop subcontractors from stealing wages and retaliating against workers who speak out. Or it can keep hiding behind marketing slogans while workers pay the price.

Tell Nike CEO Elliott Hill: “Tell the truth about the pay and conditions of the workers who make Nike products. Pay living wages to workers, hire independent auditors to investigate conditions, and take responsibility for supplier and subcontractor conduct.”

Nike has spent decades fighting allegations that it uses sweatshop labor. While some progress has been made, Nike has consistently prioritized PR over workers. It has hidden the truth, shifted blame to suppliers and subcontractors, and distracted its customer base with massive ad campaigns.

But workers are still fighting back and demanding the truth come out. Garment workers are organizing under extreme risk. And students and labor advocates have already forced Nike to pay stolen wages in specific cases, proving something critical: public pressure works.

One-off settlements don’t fix a system built on secrecy and exploitation. But Nike isn’t just another brand. When Nike is forced to change, the industry follows. That’s why this matters. 

Add your name to demand transparency from Nike and better pay and treatment for factory workers.

The petition to Nike CEO Elliott Hill reads: “Tell the truth about the pay and conditions of the workers who make Nike products. Pay living wages to workers, hire independent auditors to investigate conditions, and take responsibility for supplier and subcontractor conduct.”