By Owen Paine on Thursday May 21, 2009 12:39 PM
"Hundreds of union workers packed a lunchroom at the Hart Schaffner & Marx manufacturing plant here May 11 and voted unanimously to stage a sit-in at their factory if a new owner tries to shut it down. The company, also known as Hartmarx Corp., employs 600 people here and is one of the last and largest remaining suit makers in the U.S."YES!"Workers at Hartmarx are borrowing a page from the playbook of workers at Chicago’s Republic Windows and Doors factory. In that situation, Bank of America cut off credit to the company, leading to its closure last December. The workers and their union fought back, staging a six-day occupation at the plant, which gained national and international attention including support from the Obama administration. The workers eventually won a settlement with the bank, securing sick leave and vacation pay they were owed, and health benefits. Today, new owners have reopened the plant and all 260 former Republic workers are in the process of being re-hired, represented by their union."
Comments (1)
Best news so far out of the current crisis. However, it's one thing to shut down a single factory, another to protest a lay off by Wal Mart. Meanwhile, according to American Leftist, a reverse Grapes of Wrath is beginning, as homes are foreclosed and people are quietly uprooting to haul their families to cheaper places to live.
Posted by hce | May 21, 2009 2:35 PM
Posted on May 21, 2009 14:35