May 28, 2025

On Wednesday morning, Indonesian garment worker activists Dedeh, Dinar, and Leni—joined by allies, including the Portland Association of Teachers—rallied at Nike’s global headquarters in Beaverton. They had come 7,000 miles to confront the brand that profits off their labor but refuses to acknowledge their demands. At the headquarters, the workers carried a simple message: if Nike can afford billion-dollar profits, it can afford to pay the women who make its shoes.

The workers attempted to speak with Nike employees directly, but were told they had no approval to be on “private property.” When security arrived to remove them, the three women did not back down. Instead, they calmly explained why they were there. They spoke about how they had their wages stolen from them while Nike’s profits soared and spoke about being laid off during the pandemic. “Our work makes Nike billions so we came 7000 miles to tell Nike executives to pay us what we deserve. They were so afraid of three women from Indonesia telling the truth that they sent security to kick us off their ‘private property’ and told us it was ‘only for Nike employees.’ Now we know how much power we can have,” said Dedeh.

Refusing to be silenced, the workers and their allies continued their protest just outside the headquarters. They stood their ground and raised their voices through slogans. They made sure everyone—from employees to passersby—heard the truth. The rally at Nike HQ was a declaration: garment workers are not invisible, and they will not be turned away quietly.

Stay tuned for more updates and read: Day Two Of The Worker Action Tour | Confronting Nike, Building Power