Hartmarx (makers of Obama's suits) workers prepared to sit-in if Wells Fargo closes their factory

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/15558/

Author: Pepe Lozano
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 05/08/09 17:27

Des Plaines, Ill. — Six-hundred union workers at the Hart Schaffner & Marx’s manufacturing plant here, which is one of the last and largest U.S. suit makers, are demanding it’s time that they, and not the banks, get bailed out. The workers are fighting to keep their jobs after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. The filing followed reductions in its credit line by the bank.

The company, otherwise known as Hartmarx Corp., is in the process of being sold and has manufacturing pants here and in Rock Island, Ill., as well as a warehouse in Indiana. Union leaders fear the new owner being sought out by the company’s chief lender, Wells Fargo & Co., is planning to shut down the operation and liquidate the business, which has been operating since 1872. Nearly 1,000 people could be jobless.

Wells Fargo received a $25 billion federal bailout in taxpayer assistance through the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Critics charge that money was supposed to be used to help stabilize the financial markets, make credit more readily available to working families, and ultimately, save jobs, not lose them.

Many of the workers at Hartmarx have been working at the Des Plaines plant for decades and come from all parts of the world.

“This company has blessed us for a lot of years,” said Ruby Sims, one of the workers during a rally at the plant May 7.

“I’ve been here for 31 years. If you lay me off, then lay me off, but don’t close the door on me,” said Sims.

FULL story at link.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. I think that was a one time good deal

[AdHocSolver]

2. If the bailout and stimulus money is not used to save jobs, it will be money flushed down the toilet

The real economy is jobs. The only action that will save the U.S. economy is to bring jobs back to America so that most of the goods and services that we purchase are produced here.

The U.S. trade deficit has put us in hock to foreign countries who have supported our profligacy (courtesy of the multinational corporations) by buying our debt. Once these foreigners decide to stop subsidizing us (they are starting to withdraw financially already), we will no longer be able to buy on credit. Then the economy will implode. The problems we face now are small in comparison.

Of course, the corporate elite don't care about that. History shows us that, as in the 1930's, a debilitated population is ripe for takeover by a fascist cabal. Perhaps that is why truly helpful action is not forthcoming.