With the 2012 Olympic Games just 79 days away, today we’re highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly in the struggle to ensure that workers get fair play from the London Olympics, their sponsors, licensees and suppliers.

The good: Olympics agreement improves transparency

Following the discovery of worker rights violations in two Chinese factories producing Olympic-branded merchandise, organizers for the London 2012 Olympic Games stepped up their efforts to eliminate worker rights abuses in factories making Olympic-brand products – including becoming the first Olympic Games to disclose factories where Olympic goods are made. Although more abuses continue to be uncovered, this is a step forward for Olympics organizing bodies.
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The bad: Fair Games? Not for workers making sportswear for the Olympics

The Play Fair at the Olympics campaign has published a new report detailing working conditions in 10 sportswear factories in China, Sri Lanka and the Philippines producing sportswear for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The “Fair Games?” report uncovers continued systematic and widespread exploitation of workers in sportswear factories producing for adidas, New Balance, North Face, Columbia Sportswear Company, Next, Nike, Speedo and Ann Taylor
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The ugly: Locked-out Quebec workers file complaint against Rio Tinto with London Olympics

Workers locked out of the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter in Alma, Quebec since last December have filed a formal complaint calling on the organizers of the London Olympic Games (LOCOG) to drop the resource firm as an official Games supplier of gold, silver and bronze for athletes' medals.
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Maquila Solidarity Network: www.maquilasolidarity.org The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) is a labour and women's rights organization that supports the efforts of workers in global supply chains to win improved wages and working conditions and a better quality of life. We welcome your donations.