Republic Windows owner linked to Iowa plant purchase

[FarCenter]

http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Chicago_news/Republic_Windows_owner_linked_to_Iowa_plant_purchase,19712

A company managed by the wife of Republic Windows and Doors owner Richard Gillman recently purchased an Iowa plant that manufactures similar products, according to public records. Gillman has come under fire in recent days for abruptly closing Republic's Goose Island plant and refusing to provide workers there with the 60 days notice and pay required by federal labor law.

Echo Windows and Doors was created two weeks ago and lists Sharon Gillman as its manager, according copies of records obtained by the Daily News from the Iowa Secretary of the State. According to Cook County property tax records, Sharon Gillman is Richard Gillman's wife.

The couple purchased a $2.6 million Oak Street condo together in 2007, according to property records.

The Gillimans could not be reached for comment today. But this afternoon, Richard Gillman released a statement confirming the creation of the new company.

<SNIP>

The Iowa plant was formerly operated by TRACO, a window company headquartered in Pennsylvania. Traco confirmed the sale to Echo in a news release last week. Workers at the plant say Echo officials visited the plant on Thursday, informing them of the sale and shutting down production briefly to do a full inventory of the factory.

<SNIP>

[Robbien]

1. Appears Gillman took the money owed to his employees and bought himself a new toy

BoA and Gillman, bad news. Both of them.

[robinlynne]

14. Jail would be appropriate, and removal of his assets to pay the workers, of course.

[DoctorMyEyes]

2. I read about this earlier

on a windows and doors forum of all places. I feel for the workers but it's starting to look like they're being screwed by more than Bank of America.

http://www.vinyl-replacement-windows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=861

found the link here:
http://www.complaints.com/2007/february/28/Republic_Windows_17696.htm

oops - this is the one about Traco.
http://www.vinyl-replacement-windows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2612

[FarCenter]

3. Another Chicago blog -- interesting stuff on the occupation

http://blogs.infoshop.org/

The Republic owners/managers appear to be real scum.

[DoctorMyEyes]

6. uh oh...

Looks like he might have been trying to pull a fast one. His shit is getting outed big time.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Somebody's got some 'splainin' to do!!!

[20score]

13. zactly!

[Odin2005]

5. Hmmm, curiouser and curiouser...

Methinks somebody has some explaining to do, to a judge.

[katanalori]

7. Union workers getting screwed

by Republic - and trying to blame B of A. Worked for awhile, now people are catching on.

[defendandprotect]

8. Hope the workers and their lawyers have this report--!!!

[onethatcares]

9. the internets, they're a wonderful thing.

imagine how long it would have taken to find this stuff out about a company and its' owner just 30 short years ago. No wonder the gov and others want us to have limited access to information.

Peace

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. And there's the magic.

[tpsbmam]

11. K&R nt

[mopinko]

12. just fyi, this site

has some pretty low journalistic standards. not arguing this story. the reason these workers sat down was that they saw the assets leaving the building over several weeks.
just sayin'.