UNITE to NYC garment factory: You underpaid workers about $5 million

NYC garment workers on strike

The garment industry in the U.S. started in the north-east, followed cheaper labor overseas, and eventually, for the most part, jumped our borders. I know that LA is still (in)famous for its garment factories, but I had no idea that the needles were still thumping away in NYC.

These factories haven’t slipped beneath UNITE’s radar. From UNITE’s recent press release:

“This latest investigation shows that horrible sweatshop working conditions are still present in New York City and that the apparel industry is still not taking this issue seriously,” said Bruce Raynor, General President of UNITE HERE, the apparel and textile workers union. “The major apparel brands that were using this factory all have social responsibility systems that have failed to detect this major sweatshop operation.”

The factory that was recently cited, Jin Shun in Long Island City, NY, has operated under a number of different names, and was found to have underpaid more than 100 workers over several years. The Department of Labor stated that the contractor kept false records and coached its workers to lie to inspectors. The investigation also revealed that workers routinely worked twelve-hour days, six to seven days-a-week.

Not to belittle a workday of 12-hours or anything, but my dad has been working 12-hours six to seven days a week for about 35 years. Poor fella. Although, I suspect he pays himself a little better than what the workers at the Jin Shun get paid.

 
5 comments

The objective of our walkout towards consists of you it’s to inform you of a position criticizes that we lived in Haiti, we the workers victims of the CD APPAREL S.A since May 4, 2007 this is that: FRANTZ PILORGE [owner of the cd apparel] of complicity with the private sector Haiti, the middle class haitian and the leaders of hanes [HBI] do all to maintain the workers in discrimination and the misery after the brutal closing and illegal of the plant CD APPAREL by Hanes without previous notice, refuse of us damage and repair. Of more FRANTZ PILORGE informed the workers than Hanes does not want to pay the workers by motive of racial discrimination and the color question, and course the workers are black haitian of more, he says, that to every closing of a plant, the persons in charge of Hanes do themselves always the duty of damage and pay charge to all of employees according to the requirement of the social international legislation of the work and the CODE OF CONDUCT from Hanes Therefore, PILORGE says if Hanes does not want repair the workers of cd apparel in Haiti this is a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of the right of the workers. For more of informations, we invite yourself to click on these links. We are at sonapi, parc industial # 31. in here the address of our lawyer/ attorney : 509/34297129; 509/37548022; 22133089.We already get informed all People in the World by that means: The Trade Union Organisation , the ResponsiBles of Human Right ,the Social Group and the Lawer’s Men, if the Leaders of Saralee / Hanesbrands [Hbi] could take an other way different than the only one to damage the poor Haitian Workers to take note against them and sentence that nasty action against the protection and the Right of the Workers in the World . In sum Pilorge and Reginald Baker note for example Hanes pays charges and damage the employees of D.R, Puerto Rico; Mexico; Canada and the U.S.A Plant for what according to him Hanes refuse to dame the workers of CD APPAREL S.A [HG] for this : The responsibles of human right and the lawer’s men must demand to the responsibles of Hanes to pay the workers after 4 years of excellent works for the company Hanes !!! HE TERMINATES BY TELLING THAT THE LEADERS OF HANESBRANDS EXPLOIT THE POORS HAITIANS WORKERS [SAYS FRANTZ PILORGE ]

NOTE : FRANTZ PILORGE AND REGINALD BAKER ARE OWNER OF CD APPAREL S.A IN HAITI OF MORE, CONTRACTORS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] THEREFORE, THE HAVE GOT A DIRECT CONTRACT WITH THIS AMARICAN COMPANY [HANESBRANDS] THAT MEANS : SO WHEN AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY GET DIRECT CONTRACT WITH AN OWNER IN ANY COUNTRY THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL LEGISLATION AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT ABOUT WORK MAKE OBLIGATION TO THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY AFTER THE CLOSING OF ANY PLANT TO DAMAGE AND REPAIR THE EMPLOYEES .IT’S FOR THAT THE WORKERS OF CD APPAREL S.A [PLANT NAME, HG] IN HAITI INVITE THE PRINCIPAL OF TRADE UNION ORGANISATION, THE RESPONSIBLES OF PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS, THE LAWER’S MEN AND THE LEADERS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] TO COME INTO HAITI AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARK OF TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE AVENUE BUILDING # 31 TO MEET WITH THE WORKERS SO THAT THIS CRISIS COULD BE UNLOCK . DO NOT FORGET THAT THE LEADERS OF HANES GET DAMAGED THE EMPLOYEES OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, PUERTO- RICO, MEXICO, CANADA AND U.S.A ETC… FOR WHAT NOT THE HAITIAN’S EMPLOYEES AT CD APPAREL S.A . BY THIS FACT IF HANES CONTINUE REFUSING TO DAMAGE THE WORKERS EVERY BODY CAN CONSIDERS THIS ACTION LIKE BEING OF EXPLOITATION, CRIMINAL, ABUSING, RACE DISCRIMINATION , INJUSTICE OR BECAUSE OF THE WORKERS ARE THE BLACK PEOPLE . TO NOT THAT CD APPAREL S.A [HG] IS CERTIFIED BY WRAP ORGANISATION AS A PLANT OR ENTERPRISE IN HAITI LEGITIMATE AND LEGAL TO BE WORKING FOR SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] AND THEN THE CERTIFICATION NUMBER FOR CD APPAREL S.A IS 5382 . TO REMIND THAT CD APPAREL S.A HAS BEEN AND STILL LIVES THE NUMBER ONE FROM ALL OF PLANT PRODUCING BETTER AND GIVING THE BEST EFFICIENCY ABOUT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IT’S FOR SO THIS PLANT IN HAITI CONSIDERED TOWARDS THEIR EYES LIKE BEEING THE BEST IN THE CARIBBEAN . ALL PEOPLE CAN VERIFY THIS INFORMATION IN THE YEARBOOK OF SARALEE / HANESBRANDS . IF IT’S SO ACCORDING TO THE LEADERS OF HANESBRANDS [HBI] THEY HAVE TO FIXE THEIR POSITION SO THAT THE RESPONSIBLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE TRADE UNION ORGANISATION AND THE LAWER’S MEN COULD TAKE ACTION ON THIS BAD SITUATION AGAINST THE POOR HAITIAN WORKERS. GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD!!!

ouvriers cd says:

By the presente, we, the workers victims of the CD Apparel in Haiti want to attract the attention of the public opinion nationnal and international that the company Hanesbrands inc. (Hbi) is liveliness of itself in a manner disnonest defend when she declare that the work which is done in Haiti through internet by the workers is a companion of denigrement and of slander. By there, Hanes wants to hide the truth and destroy the light on the bad situation of the workers of the CD Apparel that itself caused for the decision to close in a manner brutal and illegal the CDApparel (HG) was taken by the persons in charge of Hanes May 4 2007 since this day more one than 500 workers are on the paved having Heavy responsibilities a lot money for bank and children to send to the school. They want to be damaged as all the others plants. We want sharply that the defenders of the human rights and the representants of the union organizations as well as the bosses of Hanes send their delegations in Haiti to CD Apparel s.a, Industrial Park (SONAPI) #31 in order to meet the workers for their information and to do the light on the question because carries it workers remained opened to all negotiation…
Greetings to all !!! 2-To the attention of the persons in charge of the company HANES Brands.
that already does more than four month than the workers have in their possession close to 480.000 T shirt without counting the materials and incidental such as: boxes, cartons, labels, machine etc; on which these is carried the logo of your company and with these logo one all can do without forgetting some lots of work which have been put in deviation. The haitian social legislation in his item gives legal provision to the workers to seize the goods, furnish and buildings while awaiting that the parties find a compromise that their permit of resolve the conflict. The code of conduct and the social legislation american done obligations to the company Hanes to compensate the workers of CD APPAREL as this some is the case for: Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, U.S.A and the last one in dates the Dominican republic. This is in this perspective that the workers victims of all the abuses ask Mr. Richard Noll Gérald Evens, E. The Wyatts etc of well to want to take conscience while returning in contact with their lawyer or the workers themselves for a modus operandi in order strength liberer the merchandise. So, the safe, fast and reliable way à be one, it’s à get the workers because they leave opened their door for Hanes. Distinguished greetings. Me Jorice Orémil Lawyer of the workers of CD APPAREL in Haiti !!! 3-Responsibles of the Hanes brands,
The comitee of workers of CD Apparel, at building #31, parc industrial (sonapi) HAITI joins their lawer, Jorice Oremil to greet the differences national organization and international for their help and to their enterprise fight by the said workers realize to damages.
Note that the boss of CD Apparel Frantz Pilorge came in Haiti after some meetings with the leaders responsible of Hanes and he has made the workers know that the bosses of Hanes,such as : Richard noll, Gerald evens,Micheal Jordand ………
Are vampires who don’t cease to exploit the workers around the word.
Speaking of Haiti he make understand that the Haitians workers are victims of racial discrimination. This enterprise “CD Apparel” has been congratulated by the same leaders for its efficiency and it’s products without any others .
The Haitians bosses put themselves to the bosses of Hanes side to exploit more the poor Haitian workers .
Lots of companies around the wold have been compensated with discussion such as:
Dominican Republic :3millions dollars us
Porto-Rico =$18.000000 US
Mexico :=$ 27.000000US
Canada : big millions
USA : big millions
And Haitians workers suffer until now and the workers of this company are left to their own devices.
These workers can’t send their children to school , pay the rent not to say sanitary cares about fity thousand (50000) workers arrange themselves already for a strike which aims at two objectives:
1-Ask Hanes Brands to compensate the workers of CD Apparel
2-Ask the Haitian parliamentaries to note the law on minimum wage.
We, workers of the cd apparel let us learn that some bosses of the company Hanes Brands such as: Richard Noll, Gerard Evens, Jorge Oliva from WRAP and others ally themselves with the haitians employers to know: the Bakers, the Apaids, and Richard Coles to prevent to the employees of CD Apparel to obtain their damages and repairs as Hanes does it always for the others plants.For your information, we say that :
Haitian government for the coming days will arrest certain other bosses for corruption and contreband , after the brandt , the Boulos , it will be the Baker’s and Richard Coles, the Apaid’s , Madsen, Acra, Meuz turn . This is the reason we want to ask the persons in charge of hanes to divorce with these employers in order not to to be considered as accomplice in the file of the workers of cd apparel because the state haitian [René Preval] will follow: authors and accomplices in this so national one as international file if hanes refuses, she will be considered as social danger for all the workers of the entire world.
We are waiting fo Hanes investigation in Haiti to release this crisis.
We write the American congress to take action to close the Hanes enterprises.
The workers of CD Apparel have been waiting and expecting that the leaders of Hanes will not shut the door in their face and will satisfy the workes

THE CD APPAREL’S WORKERS IN AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARK BUILDING # 31 ON TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE AVENUE DECIDE TO ATTRACT THE NATIONAL OPINION AND INTERNATIONAL ABOUT THE NASTY RESILIATION AND THE BRUTAL CLOSURE OF OUR PLANT ON MAI,4,2007 BY THE LEADERS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS COMPANY SUCH AS :RICHARD A. NOLL;E.LEE WYATT.JR;DALES W. BOYLE;WILLIAM J. NICTAKIS;JOIA M. JOHNSON;GERALD W.EVANS,JR.;MICHAEL FLATOW;KEVIN D. HALL WHERE 500 POOR WORKERS ARE ON THE COBBLED WITHOUT MONEY; HOME; GETTING A LOT MONEY FOR BANK AND CHILDREN TO SEND TO SCHOOL AFTER THE HARD CROSSING OF HURRICANE ” GUSTAV AND IKE. AND NOW THEY REFUSE TO COMPENSATE AND REPAIR US AS THE OTHERS PLANT IN THE OTHERS COUNTRY. THE POOR HAITIAN WORKERS PUT A QUESTION TO : THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY; THE TRADE UNION RESPONSIBLES AND THE DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO PAY THEIR ATTENTION TO DEMAND BY ACT TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF HANES [INC] TO LISTEN TO THE REASON TO PAY THE WORKERS CAUSE ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS BEEN WORKING FOR PEACE;JUSTICE;SECURITY AND RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS BECAUSE THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS ARE COMING SOON AND THE WORKERS ARE WILLING TO UNLOCK THIS CRISIS AND SHIP THE 480.000 PIECES OF T-SHIRTS AND MATERIALS WHICH HAVE BEEN SEAL BY THE LAW AND JUSTICE. NOTE THAT THE LABORS HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED BY THE SAYING OF : CODE OF CONDUCT AND THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL LEGISLATION CONCERN WORK BECAUSE OF FRANTZ J. PILORGE IS OWNER OF CD APPAREL S.A AND THE DIRECT CONTRACTOR OF THE COMPANY HANESBRANDS[HBI] BY HIS WRAP CERTIFICATION NUMBER 5382!!!

1- WE NEED THAT THE AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE TRADE UNION ORGANISATION AND THE DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO DEMAND BY ACT TO THE LEADERS OF HANES[HBI] TO COMPENSATE AND REPAIR THE WORKERS OF CD APPAREL.S.A IN HAITI AFTER THE BRUTAL CLOSURE AND NASTY RESILIATION OF OUR PLANT ON MAI,4,2007 AT SONAPI # 31. NOTE THAT WE’RE WILLING TO UNLOCK THIS CRISIS CAUSE THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS ARE COMING SOON THE TIME IS FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE AND RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU !!!
2- WE THINK THAT THE PERSON IN DEMOCRARIC PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN ONE WHO ARE ALWAYS WORKING FOR PEACE, JUSTICE ,SECURITY AND THE RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD PAY THEIR ATTENTION TO DEMAND TO THE LEADERS OF HANES [HBI] TO PAY CD APPAREL’S WORKERS AFTER 4 YEARS OF EXPLOITATION FOR THEM CAUSE THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS ARE COMING SOON AND WE HAVE WILLING TO UNLOCK THIS CRISIS . GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU !!!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CD APPAREL’S WORKERS ARE STANDING FOR DAMAGE AND REPAIRS AFTER THE BRUTAL CLOSURE AND RESILIATION OF CD APPAREL [HG] BY THE LEADERS OF HANEBRANDS[HBI] ON MAI,4,2007 .THEY SAID NOTHING FOR US : IT’S FOR THAT WE CONSIDER THAT DECISION HAS BEEN A DISCRIMINATION, INJUSTICE,ILLEGAL OR BECAUSE OF WE’RE THE BLACK PEOPLE THEY REFUSE TO PAY US OUR DUE !!!
3- WE , THE WORKERS OF CD APPAREL S.A IN HAITI AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARK BUILDING # 31 [ CELL PHONE :509/36353007] WANT TO KNOW WHAT GERALD. EVANS, RICHARD. NOLL, LEE CHADDEN AND ELLY WHAT WHO ARE THE CURRENT LEADERS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS WIIL DECIDE FOR US AFTER THE HURRICANE PLANED ON HAITI , WE’RE STILL STANDING FOR DAMAGE AND REPAIRS ON THEM !!!

Let your voice be heard!

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