Chicago-area Factory Making President Obama's Suits is Threatened with Closure by Bailout Recipient Wells Fargo

Media Advisory For:                             Contact: Amanda Cooper, 917-224-6904
Monday, May 11                                               Ali Jost, 202-730-7159

"Wells Fargo has received $25 billion in taxpayer assistance through TARP. In other words, the workers Wells Fargo may throw out on the street have been subsidizing its operations during these tough economic times. So much for returning the favor."

-- Congressman Phil Hare

500 Hartmarx Workers Will Be Joined by Rep. Phil Hare, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias & Other State, National Leaders

May 11, 2009-This Monday, 500 workers at the Chicago-based apparel firm Hart Schaffner & Marx will hold a rally and historic "sit in" vote to fight for their jobs as major lender and TARP fund recipient Wells Fargo & Co. pushes for a bankruptcy closure of the facility.

Mirroring the struggle of 250 Republic Windows and Doors workers who succeeded at saving their jobs last December, Hartmarx workers, members of the union Workers United, an SEIU affiliate, are receiving growing support from state and national leaders who are slamming Wells Fargo-a $25 billion taxpayer bailout recipient-for shortsightedly refusing to invest in U.S. companies and workers. Illinois Treasurer Giannoulias has vowed "Unless the company remains open, [Wells Fargo] will not be doing business with the state of Illinois any longer."

The Hartmarx workers' struggle sounds the alarm on what could be a firestorm of job losses and company closures perpetuated by U.S. financial institutions. Ruby Sims who has worked at Hartmarx for 31 years states "I can't believe that a bank that got some of this [TARP] money would turn around and do us like this."

Chicago-based Hartmarx, the largest menswear manufacturing company in the nation, filed for bankruptcy protection in January after U.S. banks curtailed its lines of credit. The clothing maker employs 3,500 across the nation, with about 1,000 of its employees located in Rock Island and suburban Des Plaines where suits for President Obama are made.

WHEN: Monday, May 11th at 10:00 a.m.-Noon CDT; Press Conference at 11:00 a.m. CDT

WHERE: Hart Schaffner & Marx factory, 1680 E. Touhy in Des Plaines.

**Reporters and camera crews will be allowed to observe an up or down vote on a "sit in" and interview workers afterwards. No one will be allowed inside the plant after 10:45 a.m. A rally will follow.

WHO: 500+ Hartmarx suitmakers, Rep. Phil Hare, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Workers United Midwest Area President Noel Beasley, SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff, other state and national leaders.

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Workers United, an SEIU affiliate, is a union representing more than 150,000 workers in the US and Canada who work in the laundry, food service, hospitality, gaming, apparel, textiles manufacturing and distribution industries. Workers United is a new union with a history of more than 100 years, and includes members from many predecessor unions, including the ILGWU, ACTWU, UNITE and UNITE HERE unions.

SEIU - With 2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers-not just corporations and CEOs-benefit from today's global economy.