Oxfam has released a damning report accusing sportswear giants like Nike, Reebok, Puma and adidas of failing to live up to their claims that they are improving the working conditions of suppliers in Asia.
The report pulls no punches. And as with comedy, timing in every political campaign is everything. This case is no exception. The report here was released at a time to maximise pressure on the sportswear companies in the lead-up to the World Cup.
The document talks about violent assaults and death threats on workers trying to form trade unions and sackings for those who dare to take industrial action. It cites a case of women wanting to claim a legal entitlement to menstrual leave being forced to undergo intrusive and humiliating physical examinations at the factory clinics.
It's no secret that the sportswear companies have trying hard to address the issues and restore their reputations. Nike has even come in at number 13 in Business Ethics magazine's chart of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2006.
But if the Oxfam report is right, there's obviously a long way to go.
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