American Eagle Boycott for Workers Rights

[One Sweet World]

I used to like AE...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/26/101038/143

"...I hope you will join me during this early back to school shopping season in signing a pledge to boycott American Eagle Outfitters for their blatant disregard for workers rights. AE puts up a good social responsibility front, holding events on college campuses to raise money for charities and highlighting them on their website. But when it comes to the people who make their business work—the men and women who pack and ship clothes–AE falls short.

It all started with a Canadian warehouse, NLS, where American Eagle clothes are packaged and shipped to stores throughout the country. When workers with low wages at NLS tried to form a union, they faced harassment and intimidation from union busters flown in from the US. AE hasn’t lifted a finger to stand up for the rights of these workers. The real kicker here is that American Eagle has a Code of Conduct, which states that the employees of AE contractors have the right to organize. Still, nothing.

I want to point out that American Eagle contracts out to NLS, but AE once owned and operated this warehouse so it’s not like they don’t have any leverage to help employees organize. The executives are simply turning a blind eye to the situation with the hope that, in time, it will blow over. We can’t just stand by and let this disregard for workers’ rights go on.

People across North America have signed a pledge to boycott American Eagle Outfitters until the brand enforces its Code of Conduct. Again, the code requires the company’s contractors to respect their employees’ right to organize. The retail business is cut-throat and by the looks of things, AE is doing everything they can to beat out their competitors this fall. If we really want to get AE’s attention, we can’t be likened to a bunch of annoying flies to swat around, we have to become a swarm of bees that will force the CEO and Chairman of the Board to take notice.

If you would like to support the cause, please sign the boycott pledge at http://www.AmericanVulture.org. If you would like to go a step further, here is AEO’s contact information -- you can call or write the CEO, James O’Donnell, to explain the situation to him."