Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu, Directors of the Living Wage Project had a chance meeting with Phil Knight yesterday at the Nike Campus Office Complex in Beaverton, Oregon. While he sat eating lunch with a friend in one of the several campus restaurants, Keady and Kretzu approached him to discuss the plight of Nike's Indonesian workers with whom the lived this past summer.
Below is a transcript of the videotaped conversation filmed by Kretzu.
Jim Keady: "Excuse me Phil. Hi, how are you doing? Jim Keady, nice to meet you finally."
Leslie Kretzu: "Hi, how are you?"
Phil Knight: "Hi, good to see you."
Jim Keady: "Listen, ummmŠ I was hoping we could set up some time when we can talk. We are really concerned about the workforce in Indonesia. You know (we) spent the summer there living with them and living on the wages that are paid to the factory workers."
Phil Knight: "You're worried about that?
Jim Keady: "Yeah."
Phil Knight: "Well why don't you call my secretary?"
Jim Keady: "I did. I called Lisa (McKillips) last week. I called Vada (Manager), I called Dusty (Kidd), I called Brad Figel, I called Amanda (Tucker)Š"
Phil Knight: "Well you're going to have to talk to somebody else. Maybe you need to talk to Dusty Kidd."
Jim Keady: "Yeah, but you're the guyŠ the buck stops with you right?"
Phil Knight: "Yeah, but it doesn't start with me though."
Jim Keady: "I know, but, I meanŠ I don't know who else to talk toŠ"
Phil Knight: "You need to talk to Dusty Kidd."
Jim Keady: "But he doesn't want to talk to me."
Phil Knight: "Well, then I guess you don't get through then."
Jim Keady: "But Phil, you're the manŠ"
Phil Knight "Thank you."
Jim Keady "You're the man that needs toŠ"
Phil Knight: "I appreciate your concern, but I am having lunch with a friend and we've talked about itŠ"
Jim Keady: "I know and I am apologize for interrupting your lunchŠ"
Leslie Kretzu: "Yeah, sorry about that."
Jim Keady: "But I have come all the way from NJ to talk to you about this."
Phil Knight: "Well I am not talking to you."
Jim Keady: "I've gotten stonewalled at every turn. You know, the workers had asked of (us) that (we) bring you back to IndonesiaŠ to meet them in their homesŠ not in the office in Jakarta."
Phil Knight: "Do you understand NO? You just got a NO. I am not going to talk to you about it."
Jim Keady: "Ok."
Leslie Kretzu: "Ok, thanks."
Jim Keady: "Alright, wellŠ I appreciate that. Sorry to interrupt your lunch.
YeahŠ"
Leslie Kretzu: "Thanks."
Jim Keady: (To Phjl's friend) "Sorry about that."
Phil's Friend: "Yep. Take care."
End of Transcript