Jeffrey Ballinger Research Files on the Nike Anti-Sweatshop Campaign
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Jeffrey Ballinger is a human rights and labor rights activist, writer, and educator. He was the founder and director of Press for Change, a human rights organization focusing on the rights of workers in the developing world, and the founder of No Sweat, a wholesale distributor of American, union-made apparel. The collection consists of correspondence between Ballinger and other writers and activists interested in human and labor rights, newspaper and magazine clippings, and VHS cassettes. The main topics are Nike (the corporation, its labor practices, its co-founder and former CEO Philip Knight, and its endorsements of sports figures), human rights, labor rights, and labor issues in the developing world (especially Indonesia). The materials date from 1992-2001, with the bulk being between 1995-1998.
Biographical Note
Jeffrey Ballinger is a human rights and labor rights activist, writer, and educator. While working for the AFL-CIO's Asian-American Free Labor Institute in Indonesia directing trade union training programs, he came into contact with workers at Nike contractor factories and was appalled by the working conditions there. He founded Press for Change in 1993 to focus on Nike's labor practices in Indonesia.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged at the file level with no series. The files are arranged alphabetically by folder title: General Correspondence, Meetings, Press for Change, and Research Materials. Materials within the folders are arranged chronologically. VHS cassettes are arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
Collection contains correspondence on proposed articles by Ballinger, with organizations with which he was associated (mainly those in assistance of Indonesian workers and student organizations against university endorsements of Nike), correspondence and a VHS cassette on a Nike sneaker give-back campaign by settlement houses across New York City, and letters to the editor by Ballinger; published and unpublished writings by Ballinger and others; Press for Change press releases, reports, correspondence, newsletter (Nike in Indonesia), and a VHS cassette with a report by Ballinger on sweatshops; Ballinger's research materials, mainly Nike documents regarding Indonesian factories and publicity, including press releases, internal correspondence and memoranda, a transcript of a shareholders meeting, and a VHS cassette with news reports on Nike protests; and correspondence, clippings, and summaries of meetings regarding conferences at which Ballinger participated or attended. The collection reflects Ballinger's work as an individual and through Press for Change. Dates of the collection are 1992-2001, with the bulk between 1995-1998.
Subjects
People
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Jeffrey Ballinger were transferred to New York University in 2001 by Jeffrey Balliger. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Jeffrey Ballinger Research Files on the Nike Anti-Sweatshop Campaign; WAG 115; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Jeffrey Ballinger, 2001. The accession number associated with this gift is 2001.194.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Appraisal
The collection originally consisted of 4 record cartons of mainly secondary source material, mostly clippings from common newspapers and journals, with some full-text journals, books, and reports. As all of the newspapers, journals, books, and reports are available through the general collection of the Libraries of New York University, these items were removed.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Secondary source materials were removed and the remaining materials were consolidated into logical groups according to record type or subject during weeding, with none of the materials in any order at the file level. Material was arranged chronologically within each file.
Repository
View Inventory
General correspondence, 1994-2001, undated, inclusive
Meetings, 1996-2000, inclusive
Press for Change, 1995-2001, undated, inclusive
Research materials, 1992-1998, undated, inclusive
News reports of Nike protests, undated
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Format: VHS, Duration: 29 min.
Rights Now! Sweatshops w/ Jeffrey Ballinger, undated
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Format: VHS, Duration: 87 min.
Settlement House Youth NIKE Give-Back Campaign, 1998
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Format: VHS, Duration: 25 min.
