LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With the support of Hermandad Mexicana, an immigrant’s rights advocacy non-profit, factory workers of American Apparel have united to establish a coalition of workers of the iconic company to advocate for their rights before the new corporate management. The new corporate management is controlled by New York based financial hedge fund STANDARD GENERAL, which has usurped control from founder Dov Charney.

Hundreds of workers met on February 28, 2015 to organize themselves into a new coalition of united factory workers to save American Apparel as their newly adopted name reflects, “Coalition of American Apparel Factory Workers United to Save American Apparel.”

Among the demands raised by the coalition are – stop using “Sweatshop Free” in company advertising; stop the blind reduction of production hours and the furloughing of workers; and stop the incessant intimidation of workers by security guards and supervisors merely for seeking to meet and organize themselves to address workplace issues.

Spokesperson Maria Luisa Salgado declared that, “The current situation of intimidation by large and gruff security guards directed at workers for having a flyer calling for meetings, and interrogating them about meetings, is a violation of the U.S. Constitution and the National Labor Relations Board Act. We are involved in protected activity, and such harassment needs to stop immediately.” She concluded by reporting, “The current corporate management is estranged from the cultural spirit that existed at American Apparel under the leadership of its founder, Dov Charney. Under the new management, we do not feel safe or dignified.”

The coalition has active plans to hold additional meetings and activities with the goal of saving American Apparel, and the 4,500 local manufacturing jobs that are at risk, from the new corporate management.