OLD UNION TACTICS?

The efforts of Young Shin and the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (“Labor and Lace,” by Sarah Henry, Aug. 1) seem to parallel more the efforts of unionization than they do the fight for workers’ rights. There is a difference. In fact, the unpaid wages at Lucky Sewing Co. were never reported to the Department of Labor by Shin and her group, because, unfortunately, a positive response from authorities would have been counterproductive to unionization.

In looking at AIWA’s effort to crucify Jessica McClintock, I see a desperate labor organization using every union tactic of the past, even though AIWA says unionization is not its intent. I say if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck and swims like a duck, it’s probably a duck. If AIWA’s intent wase really to promote the enforcement of labor laws, it would have joined in our attempts to get state laws enacted and help improve the industry, rather than try to tear it down.

BERNARD LAX, PRESIDENT

COALITION OF APPAREL INDUSTRIES

OF CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles

Editor’s Note: In seeking a solution for the Lucky Sewing Co. seamstresses, Shin and AIWA have used labor-law enforcement strategies as well as what Lax calls union tactics of the past. The seamstresses filed a complaint with the California labor commissioner’s office, which found in their favor. But, as noted in the story, the company was bankrupt and the seamstresses remained unpaid.