Girlcott DKNY/Donna Karan
Here you can read the story of seven women who decided to
fight the sweatshop conditions they had been enduring for
many years. These women produced designer clothing for DKNY
in midtown Manhattan, New York. They worked 10 hours a day
6 days a week with only one 40-minute break allowed during
the workday. They weren't allowed to use the bathroom unless
they had finished their quotas. They weren't allowed to look
up or speak to each other. Throughout the day, the factory's
supervisors shouted demands that they work faster. And even
in the case of family medical emergencies, they couldn't make
or receive phone calls.
 In
this factory, workers received no paid vacation or sick days,
and women were unable to take maternity leave without jeopardizing
their jobs. Latinas were paid less than the Chinese workers
for performing the same tasks in order to pit the two groups
against each other.
When one of them decided to speak out against these abusive
conditions, they found themselves jobless. Together with the
Ain't I a Woman?! Campaign, these women have launched a national
boycott that is bringing together working women from all backgrounds
and professions and demanding that Donna Karan take responsibility
for these conditions, pay uncompensated overtime wages, reinstate
them and assure that 75% of her clothing be in our communities.
It has been more than one year since we issued these demands,
and Ms. Karan and DKNY continue to plead ignorance and deny
responsibility.
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