Illegal Sewing Shops

Re “Workers Held in Near Slavery”, Aug. 3: Illegal sewing shops such as these exist throughout our industry and are generally not visible to manufacturers or governmental agencies. They receive their work through other sewing contractors who subcontract to them, manufacturers who willingly circumvent the law, or businesses producing counterfeit merchandise. In any case, these are all segments of ou industry that we would be happy to eliminate.

These types of sewing operations operate outside our laws and wage standards, thus allowing them to compete with unfair advantages. The apparel industry is dedicated to creating a “level playing field” for all sewing contractors by complying with the wage standards stipulated by the state and the federal governments.

BERNARD LAX, President

Coalition of Apparel Industries in California, Los Angeles

* Re “INS Got Tip on Sweatshop 3 Years Ago”, Aug. 4: Let’s see here, the Immigration and Naturalization Service got a tip three years ago about indentured servitude of dozens of Thai nationals that were being held in a prison-like environment. Wow! That’s a record for response time if ever there was one. Only in America.

DONN C. IRVING

Downey