Hermandad Mexicana: "Sweatshop Free" American Apparel Under Labor Board Class Action Complaint

LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Clothing manufacturer American Apparel has been sued by workers after an Easter week mass firing. The complaint filed on April 16 by the fired employees of the multi-million dollar fashion upstart charges that American Apparel failed to comply with the WARN Act that prohibits surprise mass firings by companies that have more than 100 employees. American Apparel claims to have more than 10,000 workers.

The charges in the complaint describe a scenario where long time employees were discharged without even a single full day's warning and forced to sign releases without time to seek legal advice.

"I was told that I had to sign a release immediately or I would not receive any severance at all," said Dominga Valencia, a fired long time worker. "I stood there worried about how I would be able to feed my family without the severance."

The actions described in the labor complaint stand in stark contrast to the promise of a "sweat free workplace" touted by American Apparel to its mostly urban fan base. 

The clothing manufacturer has taken a cold tone to its American workforce since being taken over by billionaire Wall St. Hedge fund manager Standard General. Standard General recently took a major stake in Radio Shack before the electronic retailer was led to bankruptcy and began the firing thousands of American workers.

"American Apparel promised its workers and its customers that it would be an ethical employer," said Nativo Lopez of Hermandad Mexicana. "The only thing sweat free at American Apparel is the way that management regards labor law. Its Wall St. owners say 'we need to dump workers now' and its management responds 'no sweat.'"

SOURCE Hermandad Mexicana