This story has been updated from a previous version.
Production workers nervous about Monday’s announcement of pending layoffs at American Apparel Inc. plan to protest at company headquarters Wednesday afternoon.
The General Brotherhood of Workers, aided by Santa Ana non-profit Hermandad Mexicana, an immigrants’ rights advocacy group, is organizing the rally. General Brotherhood has been trying to organize manufacturing workers at American Apparel; ousted founder Dov Charney has been backing Hermandad’s support of efforts to organize factory workers as well.
On Monday, the company released a plan saying it would shut underperforming retail stores as part of an effort to cut $30 million in operating costs over the next 18 months. While the company said it would consider job cuts as part of its reorganization plan, the announcement came in the context of closing retail operations.
The workers were also concerned, said Louis Reyes, who is handling communications for Hermandad Mexicana, that some executive offices might be moved out of Los Angeles.
“There’s a sense among the workers that the managers are going to leave L.A.,” Reyes said.
American Apparel declined to comment.
