She Was a Key Voice of the 1990s Labor Movement in Nike’s Indonesia Factories. Today She Relies on Donations From Abroad.

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 12 min read 100% complete by Matthew KishJanuary 30, 2026 at 11:25 AM

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long article 12 min

Cicih Sukaesih, a key figure in the 1990s labor movement within Nike's Indonesian factories, now relies on donations from abroad to survive. She organized strikes and confronted Nike's co-founder Phil Knight, bringing attention to the plight of young female workers and helping to inform a generation about their rights. Despite her activism leading to improvements like cracked down on child labor, better safety equipment and menstrual leave, Cicih struggled to find work afterward. Now 62, she lives with her sister and faces financial hardship, receiving monthly donations from labor activists like Jim Keady. While Cicih is proud of her impact, she acknowledges that problems like low wages persist in Nike's supplier factories in Indonesia.

Keywords

nike 90% labor movement 90% indonesia 80% labor rights 70% factory worker 70% sweatshop 60% trade union 60% low wages 50% activism 50% donations 40%

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ProPublica
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
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90%

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