Garment Workers Protest Great Wall Corp
Workers Demand Manufacturer Accountability and
End to Retaliation
August 11, 2009 @ 12pm noon
in front of Great Wall Corp.
Garment workers held a demonstration against Great Wall Corp.
and Silver Fashion, Inc. for failing to pay the workers minimum
wage and overtime, and retaliating against workers who stood up.
In this case, the husband, Ping Nen Lin, operated the garment
manufacturer Great Wall Corp. while his wife, Xiao Yan Lin, operated
Silver Fashion, a factory located in the same space as, and producing
clothing exclusively for Great Wall Corp. Workers labored over
100 hours a week, and sometimes through the entire night to finish
orders. On top of this, the employers would deduct 5% from their
wages, and reduce their piece-rate. When workers came together
to file a lawsuit against Great Wall Corp., Silver Fashion and
its owners, the employers shut down part of their operation, claiming
the factory and manufacturing company were completely separate,
in order to stop the workers from organizing. Despite the recent
Zheng v. Liberty Apparel decision which found the manufacturer
responsible for the labor law violations of its subcontracted
factory, Great Wall Corp. and other manufacturers still think
they are above the law.The Great Wall workers, joined by other
workers, Ain't I a Woman?! campaign, NOW NYC,and Global Kids are
demanding manufacturer accountability, and that their employer
compensate them and hire them back.
