American Apparel Loses 1500 Workers

This one may not be related to the economy. Dov Charney, CEO dov of American Appareland an immigration rights activist, sent a letter to employees in English and Spanish conveying his sadness at having to let 1500 workers go. This follows behind a notification from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that 1600 of his employees might be in the country illegally. In the letter, Charney told workers they would receive hiring priority if they got their immigration paperwork in order.

American Apparel is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer. They are responsible for their own designs, advertising and marketing. Their factory, located in Los Angeles, employs 6400 workers and is one of the few manufacturers exporting products sporting a “Made in the USA” tag. Their retail operation has 200 stores in 18 countries and the company employs 10,000 people over all.