Labor, Immigration, and American Apparel

In today's Los Angeles Times you will find an article highlighting the immigration policy view of American Apparel founder and Sr. Partner, Dov Charney. A Canadian immigrant himself, and employer of easily hundreds -- maybe 1000s? -- of immigrants, he no doubt has an opinion. American Apparel has its issues -- namely aggressive T&A ads (photo!) and several serious sexual harrassment/hostile work environment lawsuits -- but American Apparel remains a company that is providing, ON AVERAGE, $12/hr on its sewing floor. A stand out, to say the least.

Here are some highlights:

"My experience is that they're making a great contribution to the economy. They're very interested in integrating themselves. They're not trying to rip off anybody. No one's trying to get out of paying any taxes. Everybody's ready to do the right thing. The night of Sept. 11, in the neighborhoods in which I work and in which I drove home and throughout the Latino neighborhoods where workers work, there were people who didn't speak very good English waving American flags on Sunset [Boulevard]. Doesn't matter what the documents say, they're American workers. They're a fundamental part of our city."

The speaker is Dov Charney, 37, the founder and senior partner of American Apparel Inc., a manufacturer of youth-oriented garb with 125 retail stores, including 76 in the United States, and more than $200 million in annual sales. American's downtown factory is the largest single garment plant in the nation, employing 3,800 workers, of whom 90% are Latino...He says he's planning to hire buses to transport 2,500 workers to downtown rallies on behalf of labor and sound immigration policies on May 1...

"My vision would be a very liberal immigration policy," he told me this week. "I think we have to have a wholesale amnesty, one shot. I don't believe in any restrictions on exit or entry to the United States. 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall,' Give people the opportunity to work...

"--immigration has to be understood as a good thing...I just see positive: people making a contribution to society. I have Chinese immigrants working here, Canadian immigrants, I have Mexican immigrants, Guatemalan, Korean, Japanese. One of the secrets to American Apparel is that very few of us are American-born. But that's what makes us an American company. Diversity is strength..."

"I realize nobody's able to speak candidly on these issues," he says. That applies directly to his own industry, which unlike the agricultural sector, has never stood on the political frontlines to say that it depends for labor on undocumented workers. "No one really wants to come forth and be honest."

Charney has some theories about the apparel industry's shyness. One is that its workforce is more visible to the community than are farmworkers, so broadcasting their lack of documentation makes Americans more sensitive about their presence. "Apparel is in your city. It's close to home. Agriculture is in the fields."

He also suggests that apparel companies believe it would be a marketing faux pas to remind buyers that their stylish clothing is manufactured by a distinctly declasse labor force not at all like them. "Apparel is supposed to be sexy and fun. Clothing is linked to the leisure culture..."

you can read the article in its entirety -- at least for a little while... -- here.