USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing  employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

 

Membership Meeting 

Sunday December 7, 2008

Frank Monreal's El Matador

9155 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee 

9:30a.m.

   Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.


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Home Up

Nike Reneges on Slogan Pledge

            For an extra $50, Nike promises consumers that the company will stitch a personalized slogan on a pair of their ZOOM XC USA running shoes. So, enterprising customer Jonah H. Peretti sought to take the company up on its offer. He filled out the form, sent in his $50, and asked them to emblazon his shoes with the word "SWEATSHOP" under Nike's trademark swoosh.

            Nike's first response was a form e-mail, listing four possible reasons for turning down Mr. Peretti, including either that the request violated somebody's trademark, or contained the name of an athlete or team that Nike didn't have permission to use, or left the slogan blank, or contained "profanity or inappropriate slang". The turndown closed with a cute little addendum: "besides, your mother would slap us".

            Mr. Peretti, an MIT graduate student, wasn't going to be dismissed that easily. Waaaaiit a minute, "sweatshop is listed in Webster's as standard English", he told Nike.

            Back came the Nike e-mail with another excuse for the turndown, this one more blunt, indicating this time that Nike officials did not consider the material "appropriate".

            The irrepressible Mr. Peretti then took another tack. Would Nike "please send me a color snapshot of the 10-year-old girl who makes my shoes?". He's still waiting a response.

   From AFL-CIO Label Letter