Dov Charney Fires Illegals, But Is It Immigration Or His Sales?

[AyatollahGondola]

American Apparel, a Los Angeles-based clothing manufacturer and retailer

known for its racy advertising and social consciousness, has announced that it will fire about 1,500 of its workers who do not have the legal right to work in the United States.

I believe it's the latter due to his statement:

"Many of you have been with me for so many years

After years, he would have known they were illegally using the documents provided.

[joazinha]

As LONG as the illegals are GONE!

[kjl]

When he's out of business I'll celebrate.

[ilbegone]

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/03/business/econwatch/entry5284626.shtml

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California clothing manufacturer American Apparel will lay off 1,500 workers from its downtown Los Angeles factory because the employees are not legally authorized to work in the United States, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A government inspection two months ago uncovered 1,600 illegal workers and another 200 who had problems with their work records, including, in some cases, faked social security numbers.

Peter Schey, a lawyer for American Apparel, told the Times that the company "is very disappointed and disheartened at having to terminate a very large number of workers who by and large have been reliable contributors to the success of the company."

American Apparel founder and Chief Executive Dov Charney wrote in a letter that he was upset that he would have to fire so many employees, a number that amounts to 10 percent of the company's workforce.

"It is my belief that immigrants bring prosperity to any economy," Charney wrote.

American Apparel is known for its support of immigration reform. Charney told employees that if they got their work status in order they would be given preference for open jobs at the company.

The factory shakedown comes after months of trouble at American Apparel. In May, the company settled a lawsuit with the actor Woody Allen over the unauthorized use of his image in advertisements, and on Wednesday the company agreed to pull an advertisement in Britain that was criticized for being too sexually explicit.

Read more at the LA Times.

[DerailAmnesty.com]

American Apparel founder and Chief Executive Dov Charney wrote in a letter that he was upset that he would have to fire so many employees, a number that amounts to 10 percent of the company's workforce.

"It is my belief that immigrants bring prosperity to any economy," Charney wrote.


If they were immigrants, you wouldn't be in this legal position, Mr. Title 8 Violator.

Actually, this works out very conveniently for AA. The company probably had lagging sales and had to downsize anyway. This way, Charney can blame a broken immigration system, etc. for the company having to take cost cutting measures in a bad economy.

[BluHaven]

It's about time, this guy should be serving time for knowingly hiring illegals. Where's his punishment?

[joazinha]

He should NEVER be given ANOTHER business license EVER again!

[jinx]

Are the "laid off" illegal aliens getting unemployment?

[AyatollahGondola]

Are the "laid off" illegal aliens getting unemployment?

That's a fair question jinx. Arnold extended UI benefits to illegals in the farming industries during the freeze, and again in the drought. I don't know if we can find this out or not. The EDD can tell us if they are eligible, but not any direct info about individuals. Only the employer, employee, and the government will know.

[jinx]

It would be a shame if they are with all the people out of work in CA. That would be some info that could really make a lot of people very ticked off if they knew that illegals were getting unemployment. Kind of like throwing gasoline on the fire wouldn't you think?

[AyatollahGondola]

It would be a shame if they are with all the people out of work in CA. That would be some info that could really make a lot of people very ticked off if they knew that illegals were getting unemployment. Kind of like throwing gasoline on the fire wouldn't you think?

I'm not sure that that really pisses people off or not. Unemployment comes from employers who pay premiums on insurance, and people don't care if employers have to cough up the premiums. What might piss them off is if you could find them working again without docs, or if you could prove they were working for AA under an assumed ID, but getting bennies from the government under their real names.

[jinx]

I don't know AG. If I was unemployed and my unemployment ran out and I hadn't been able to find work and found out illegals were getting unemployment I think I would be pretty ticked off.

Of course, what you said makes a lot of sense.

[AyatollahGondola]

So many people don't give a shit as long as there's no direct link to their wallets. Tangent links are not viewd the same