A note from Dov:

On July 29, 2009, thousands of workers from the Los Angeles area,
including many American Apparel employees, marched to call attention to
the urgent need for immigration legislation to end the underground
exploited lives of millions of immigrants, and to express their opposition to
ramped up actions by the Obama Administration that are forcing hundreds
of businesses to terminate thousands of workers solely because their
immigration status cannot be verified in federal databases or they
allegedly presented suspect documents when they were hired.

Following a recent 17-month audit of American Apparel’s employee records,
the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) recently
informed the company that about 1,800 current workers’ documents cannot
be verified, or are “suspect.” These workers have been given 30-60 days to
produce additional documents, although in hundreds of cases it is unclear
why their existing documents cannot be verified, or why they may
be “suspect.” Many of these employees have been working for American
Apparel for as long as 12 years. They are hardworking individuals who are
often supporting children and families.

The Obama policy of ramping up work site enforcement will force
thousands of workers to be terminated from jobs paying a living wage and
drive them into sweatshops where employers don’t bother to check their
employees’ documents, or comply with labor and health and safety laws.

The solution is NOT more worksite enforcement aimed at companies
paying workers a living wage. The solution in my view is fairly simple: (1)
Target sweatshop employers who flout labor laws and exploit immigrant
workers with heavy criminal and civil penalties; (2) amend the law to
provide a realistic number of green cards (lawful permanent resident cards)
in the future to meet the known demand based on family unity and the
needs of the U.S. labor market; and (3) legalize those undocumented
immigrants now living in the United States who have good moral character.

We marched from American Apparel, to the Federal building, which is also
the headquarters of I.C.E.

Here are some photos from the March.

One of the saddest things that happened at the march was when I met this
girl. She walked up to me and said, “please don’t fire my father. We need
food to eat, and we will be hungry if he cannot work”. Then she started to
cry. I took her father’s phone number. I want all workers who it turns out
are not authorized to work but have some way to legalize their status to be
able to take advantage of that opportunity. With federal immigration
reform supposedly around the corner, why must children, many of them US
citizens, go hungry in the meantime? So they’ll be thinner when we legalize
their parents next year?

Ardany has worked for the company for about 8 years.

Here I am with Veronica Morales, an employee who has been with us for
over 10 years. Whenever I see Veronica, she gives me a big hug and says
she loves me because I changed her life. I tell her I love her too because
workers like her made American Apparel what it is today, and changed my
life.

Workers get ready to march from American Apparel to the Federal Building.
Many are soccer-dads or soccer-moms, parents supporting children, or
children supporting elderly parents, some are straight some are gay, some
are old and some are young. What they all pretty much have in common is
their willingness to work hard, pay their taxes, and support their families
and communities.

This is Victor who has been working as a cutter for the company for over 10
years. During the last few years he cut samples for the product
development dept. He may be one of the workers who must leave
American Apparel. You want to cry when workers you have known for many
years are forced out of stable jobs they have held for a long time, even
though the politicians agree immigration reform is around the corner. What
national interest is served during a severe economic downturn by a policy
that causes the loss of thousands of jobs, driving these workers into largely
marginalized unregulated jobs? At the same time, the policy is welcomed
by sweatshop operators, who’ll greedily receive an influx of desperate
workers. We do our best to faithfully obey federal policy, but I would not
be honest if I didn’t publicly make clear that in my humble opinion, the
policy is harmful to workers, businesses, and the national interest.

A quality control employee with terrific style and glasses.

A people’s lawyer, Chris Newman, who works for the National Day Laborer
Organizing Network.

The March began at 4:30

One of Obama’s campaign promises was to help bring about immigration
reform. So far he has not delivered on this promise. There are major
administrative positive change she could make without a single vote of any
member of Congress. If immigration reform is really going to happen, stop
the thousands of deportations involving family members of US citizens and
lawful permanent residents. Stop forcing the firing of tens of thousands of
workers from decent jobs and driving them deeper and deeper
underground. This obviously does not help any plan for an economic
recovery. The workers wages go down, they’ll move into exploitative jobs,
their tax contributions are far more like to decrease than increase, their
purchasing power will be decreased, their ability to pay their landlords rent
will decrease: All in all, a policy that slows the economic recovery while
randomly destroying the stability and lives of thousands of people making
the products we use every day of the week.

The police are always supportive of American Apparel workers. Although
they were not called this time about the march, they closed some streets
and escorted us as we were walking.

Here was our banner. It was the same one from the May 1st March.

This garment worker spoke at the march when we arrived at the Federal
Building. Here, during the march, she is telling me that she has worked for
the company for 7 years.

Consuilo is a custodian. She has been with the company for approximately
7 years.

Jeremias is a factory manager. He started as a garment worker and now
has a high level management position. I remember talking to Jeremias
when he was at his sewing machine 10 years ago.

This girl came to the march with her dad. Some people walked, some
rolled along in wheelchairs.

The workers above work as sewing supervisors.

Marco is a sewer and has been working for the company since 2002.

There were many tears shed at the march. Many workers hugged me, and I
hugged many, many workers. Marco and I hugged. I wasn’t sure if he’s on
a list. He smiled all the time. Maybe he’s okay.

Some people came to the March with instruments.

Here is a photo of a garment worker walking with Nativo Lopez, director of
Hermandad Mexicana Nacional who helped workers organize the march and
state senator Gil Cedillo. Gil is one of the most passionate politicians I
have met who supports working, middle class, and immigrant families.

This is Micaela, who at first worked as a service person to the sewers, and
then became a sewing supervisor. I remember getting crazy with her
because I wanted her to help me get more panties sewn when we started
sewing our first underwear, style 4313. I imagine at that time we had under
100 employees working at American Apparel. Whenever I see her I say to
her, “4313″. We have made millions of underwear since that time.

Here is an earlier photo with me and Micaela when the March first began.

I got emotional when I saw these young people. These children are in front
of the Federal building with signs saying “PAPEL”, Students for Immigrant
Workers.

The way I see it, this policeman was proud of the workers too.

Olga Aguilar works in Sew mechanic shop ordering parts, and recording part
usage. She has been providing vital information for purchases and parts
usage for over five years.

This garment worker looked good in his yellow T-shirt.

Some traditional Aztek dancers showed up to the March.

Legalize LA kids.

Above are a few organizers from the Coalition for Humane Immigration
Reform of Los Angeles who came to support the workers. To my right is
Angelica Salas, the Executive Director of the organization. They dedicate
their time and resources to helping and working with the immigrant
community in Los Angeles.

Two more lovely American Apparel sewing supervisors.

This kid was taking a photo of me while I was shooting him.

Garment worker with children. Hundreds of children came to the march with
their parents.

Genaro was a sewer who had worked for the company since 1999. He is
trying to get his immigration papers sorted out. I hope he is able to come
back and work at the company soon. He has not been able to work for over
a year. I was glad to see him at the march.

The purple guys!

Click letter to enlarge.

During the March I was handed this letter by a garment worker.

That was my day at the march. My heart is with these workers. My heart is
also with American Apparel. I will always do my best to keep building a
successfully company that does not run “offshore”, and treats its workers
with dignity, respect, and love. If that seems idealistic, then you’ve nailed
me.

Dov Charney

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