Senator Gilbert Cedillo Commends American Apparel Leadership for Creating Jobs in Los Angeles

RELEASE



For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Cedillo English Media Contact: Christy Wolfe
213.219.2836 or christy.wolfe@sen.ca.gov

Cedillo Spanish Media Contact: Xóchitl Arellano
916.956.0320 or xochitl.arellano@sen.ca.gov

American Apparel Media Contact: Tina Pellegrino
213.488.0226x1345 or tina@americanapparel.net

Senator Gilbert Cedillo Commends American Apparel Leadership for Creating Jobs in Los Angeles

Cedillo toured the country’s largest garment factory in support of the company’s job preservation efforts

(Los Angeles, CA) American Apparel, Inc. operates the largest garment factory in the United States. Despite the struggling economy and unemployment hitting 11.4% in Los Angeles County, the “Sweat Free” company is expanding its workforce. It recently added 500 employees to its payroll, many of them returning to jobs that had been cut due to the lagging economy. American Apparel offers employees affordable health coverage, a living wage, and shared ownership in their success through a stock equity plan for some factory workers. State Senator Gilbert Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), toured the Downtown Los Angeles facility and commended American Apparel for its leadership and courage.

“It is an incredible day in the history of this company and city because American Apparel is providing leadership,” said Senator Cedillo. “Rather than cutting costs and shipping jobs off overseas—and sending those jobs to other places—American Apparel has shown tremendous courage by hiring workers here. It is creating jobs and opportunities; it is creating hope and realizing people’s aspirations for a better life and a better future.”

Led on a tour by American Apparel employee, Alexandra Mora, the Senator from Los Angeles encountered rolling waves of cheers and adulation from employees who manufacture and produce clothing, store signage and packaging among other products at the vertically-integrated company. The morning culminated with a press conference and barbeque with employees.

Click here for Video 1 and Video 2.

Click here for the Slideshow.

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American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel based in downtown Los Angeles, California. As of March 31, 2009 American Apparel employed approximately 10,000 people and operated over 260 retail stores in 19 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and China. American Apparel also operates a leading wholesale business that supplies high quality T-shirts and other casual wear to distributors and screen printers. In addition to its retail stores and wholesale operations, American Apparel operates an online retail e-commerce website at http://www.americanapparel.net/.