Posted by Kamaal on February 23rd, 2010 07:51 AM |
Apparel and Garment
The clothes retailer American Apparel has expressed “deep disappointment” with US immigration policy after an official crackdown on undocumented workers obliged the company to lay off 1,500 employees at its California headquarters, amounting to 15% of its global workforce.
Renowned for its colourful T-shirts and sweaters, American Apparel proudly states in its advertising that its products are made in downtown Los Angeles. But government inspectors in July found that 1,600 of its 5,600 manufacturing staff did not appear to be legally authorised to work in the US and a further 200 had uncertain status.
Infringements include false social security numbers and discrepancies in workers’ employment records. The company, which has been an outspoken advocate for a more liberal immigration policy, is sacking the affected employees this month.
In a farewell letter, American Apparel’s founder, Dov Charney, said he was saddened that so many would be leaving. “Many of you have been with me for so many years, and I just cry when I think that so many people will be leaving,” he said.
Pointing out that his own grandmother was a Jewish immigrant who found work at a Montreal garment factory in the 1930s, Charney said: “I am deeply disappointed that the Obama administration has failed to bring about immigration reform.”
Charney continued: “Ironically, the rallying cry of the Obama campaign was the words of César Chávez, ‘Yes we can’ or ‘Sí se puede’, which inspired so many people, particularly Latinos, in the recent election.”
The White House has made enforcement in the workplace a central part of its strategy to reduce illegal immigration. In April, the homeland security secretary, Janet Napolitano, issued guidelines requiring immigration authorities to concentrate resources on employers who “knowingly hire illegal workers”.
American Apparel employs 10,000 people globally and has 260 shops, including eight in Britain.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/03/american-apparel-boss-attacks-immigrant-crackdown
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He knew what he was doing. He should go to jail and be fined.
Don Charney. president of American Apparel, is upset because the Obama administration has not brought about immigration reform. That’s not correct. The administration is working on immigration “reform” by deporting workers who came here illegally. Now, THAT’S reform! For too long, we have turned a blind eye to the millions of illegal immigrants who cross our borders illegally.
For many people, probably including Mr. Charney, “immigration reform” is a euphemism for AMNESTY. If he is so concerned about the workers and not just his bottom line, he should offer to reimburse illegals for the costs they incur in obtaining legal status when they come here.
Charney and his company should be fined heavily for breaking our immigration laws.
He’s such a hypocrite. When he started the company, the whole point of American Apparel was that it was supposed to be MADE in AMERICA by AMERICAN workers earning a decent living. It was supposed to be a response to all the US apparel jobs being lost to companies overseas, including the maquiladoras right across the border in Mexico, as well as sweatshops in the US paying low wages
With the number of unemployed people in California, there is no reason why he had to hire illegal workers. There are hundreds of thousands of people who would give anything to have a job with decent pay and benefits, that American Apparel were supposed to be offering to all their employees.
He should go to jail for employing illegals in 15% of the company’s jobs
The headline is misleading because it gives the impression that President Obama is cracking down on illegal immigrants when Charney’s complaint is that the Administration is slow in passing immigrant reform laws.
Point 1: Congress is in charge of making laws. The executive branch is in charge of enforcing those laws and is correct in trying to force manufacturers like American Apparel to abide by immigration law and legal hiring procedures. True, Obama has not done anything to push Congress in the direction of immigration reform but we’re just 9 months in.
Point 2: Public opinion on immigrant labor is a complex subject. One could argue that by hiring illegal immigrant labor that American Apparel is taking jobs away from U.S. legal residents. AA is proud of their “Made in the USA” tag on their wares but would consumers be as excited about their products if they knew they were taking jobs from American citizens and giving them to illegal immigrants? Does framing the argument in that way make you feel more or less sympathetic to those immigrants?
Point 3: Illegal immigrants are not afforded the same pay or rights as legal workers: less pay, no insurance or benefits, no job security, no workers compensation in case of injury, etc. This allows employers to get away with paying less in salary and overhead, making more profits on the back of illegal immigrants. These immigration laws are there to protect the workforce and mandate fair competition.
They should of though about possible consequences before hiring…..
So, fine with me…. Illegal = Outta Here !!!
The owner should be jailed and the illegal immigrants need to go back home
I think cutting and pasting is boring!
I think he has a right to voice his concerns and disappointment!
I think long questions, with cutting and pasting are boring, I think he is right, Obama’s plan for a change is a facade ! Obama promises things that are never going to happen and he is wasting our time and money!
Too bad,so sad. he should have hired those who were legally allowed to work in the country. He should be paying a hefty fine as I;m sure he was well aware that those he was hiring weren’t legal. I have no sympathy for him or his workers.
I think that the clown should have been more selective in his hiring practices.
He knew that he was committing a crime when he hired illegals.