Sir, - The piece "Trainers now grace fittest tigers in Asia" (April 2nd) drew to mind another economic comparison beyond GNP and export growth levels. Using the sneaker guide, the article points to the bright economic future of China and Indonesia, as each has a 30 per cent share of Nike's total production. How bright and for whom is, of course, relative.
In 1994 Nike boss Phil Knight's salary was £929,113. On current wages a young woman in China churning out Nike shoes would have to work nine hours a day, six days a week for 15 centuries to match that. Not surprisingly Nike trainers are not gracing the feet of the "fittest" factory workers in Asia. - Yours, etc.,
Policy analyst,
Trocaire,
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