Reebok denies RI ties

Reebok denies RI ties

BOSTON (Reuter): Reebok International Ltd. Wednesday denied a report that protesting Indonesian workers are employed by shoe export factories which make footwear for the Massachusetts-based company.

Reuters reported Tuesday that more than 1,000 workers from the PT Sindoll and PT Multi Beta Pertiwi shoe factories protested at the House of Representatives in Jakarta demanding higher wages and better worker conditions.

Reebok spokeswoman Denise Kaigler said Reebok subcontracts with footwear factories in Indonesia, but not the PT Sindoll and the PT Multi Beta Pertiwi companies.

"They are not making Reebok shoes nor have they done so in the past," she said.

Nike Inc. said Monday it severed ties with four Indonesian- based factories because they failed to adhere to the company's requirements for wages and working conditions.