Nearly 4,000 jobs were saved with court approval of the sale of Chicago-based Hartmarx Corporation to the British firm Emerisque late last week. Emerisque announced plans before the deal to keep many of Hartmarx's Workers United-represented workers.

Earlier this year, workers voted to occupy their factories to prevent Wells Fargo Bank from liquidating the menswear manufacturing company. "The workers deserve this victory," said Ruby Sims, a Hartmarx employee for 31 years, and one of the Des Plaines plant's union organizers. "This is an important milestone for all of us."

"When the time came, you stood up," SEIU Illinois State Council President Tom Balanoff told Hartmarx workers at a rally yesterday. "You said, they're not going to close our factory. You said, we're not going to let you put us on the street. You said, we're not going to let them do this to our children. You stood up and fought. And you know what, brothers and sisters? You won." Watch highlights from a victory rally with workers, Illinois State Council President Tom Balanoff, and members of Congress.

The fight to keep creditor Wells Fargo Bank from liquidating Hartmarx menswear factory appears to ramping up, as the bailed-out bank said today that it is opposing the $119 million bid by the British private equity firm Emerisque to save the bankrupt men's clothier. But don't you worry, because according to the statement Wells Fargo put out today, they are rejecting the offer in question for the good of the workers employed by Hart Schaffner & Marx.

Riiiight. The same 3,000+ workers who will lose their jobs if chief lender Wells Fargo forces the suit maker into liquidation? Just checking.

The union representing Hartmarx workers, members of SEIU affiliate Workers United, do not plan on taking Wells Fargo's blatant push to doom their company to liquidation lying down. From their statement today:

[...] Wells Fargo's statement is a thinly veiled attempt to force liquidation. It is outrageous for a bank that has received billions in taxpayer money to reject Emerisque's generous bid to save the company and thousands of good jobs.

The union has an understanding with Emerisque that it will assume Hartmarx's obligations to their employees including the union contract obligations. In addition Emerisque will not close the Rock Island Illinois facility. Emerisque is committed to the 'Made in America' label for Hickey Freeman and Hart Schaffner & Marx. These are the kind of good union jobs that are needed in our currently depressed economy. We call on Wells Fargo, recipient of 25 billion dollars in taxpayer support, to have a similar commitment to American jobs.

The president of Workers United, Edgar Romney, today also wrote a letter to the bankruptcy judge for the bankruptcy hearing Monday, reaffirming support by the union for the sale of the menswear retailer to Emerisque, believing that this sale "will not only produce the highest and best offer for the Debtors' assets, but will be instrumental in preserving thousands of jobs during a recession of historic proportions." Read the letter.

"It would appear to us that Wells Fargo prefers a liquidation."

In a separate statement, Emerisque also expressed their disagreement with Wells Fargo's stance: "There is a significant gap between [Wells Fargo's] expectations and the reality of where asset valuations are in the current market. Hartmarx ran a sale process that has lasted almost four months before selecting Emerisque as the stalking horse bidder. The fact that the highest bid was selected after such a lengthy process surely tells its own story. The Emerisque bid is fully diligenced, and financing and ability to close are as certain as is possible at this stage of the process and in this environment. Any suggestion otherwise is simply not truthful.

"Furthermore, all that a stalking horse does is establish a 'floor' value for an auction. It would appear to us that Wells Fargo prefers a liquidation."

As we've previously reported on the SEIU Blog, Hartmarx workers in Des Plaines, Illinois and Rochester, NY stand ready to protect their jobs with the 130 year-old Chicago-based menswear factory--even if it means occupying their local factories in a sit-in.

Will you stand with them?

Yesterday, 43 Members of Congress issued a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, asking him to weigh in on Wells Fargo's attempt to liquidate nearly 4,000 jobs at Hartmarx, a unionized suit manufacturer, whose customers include President Obama. The situation between Wells Fargo and Hartmarx mirrors the struggle of 250 Republic Windows and Doors workers who succeeded at saving their jobs last December.

Here's an excerpt of the letter:

"Given the fact that American taxpayers have provided Wells Fargo/Wachovia with $25 billion, we find it incomprehensible that it would continue to push for the loss of jobs in a viable company," the letter reads. "This is not the reason why we supported emergency measures to capitalize the banks with taxpayer dollars. The case of HartMarx must not become an unfortunate example of financial institutions failing to provide the credit envisioned by Congress to help maintain corporate operations and preserve jobs in this trying economic climate.

"As you review the results of the bank "stress" tests and decide which banks need additional funds from the Treasury, we urge you to ensure that institutions provide credit to sustain American companies and the workers they employ."

Hartmarx, the largest and oldest menswear manufacturing company in the nation, filed for bankruptcy protection in January after U.S. banks curtailed its lines of credit.

Hartmarx workers, members of the union Workers United, an SEIU affiliate, are receiving steadily 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.Read the letter here.

Today, Workers United is urging the liquidated company's chief creditor, Wells Fargo, to support London-based private equity firm Emerisque (and SKNL North America) as the firm to help the retail company emerge from bankruptcy. Next Thursday, May 28, SEIU and Workers United members will protest outside a Target Store as part of the campaign spreading nationwide to preserve Hartmarx .

Please stand with Hartmarx workers today by co-signing the letter to Wells Fargo right now.

On May 11, Workers United members at the Illinois Hartmarx facility voted unanimously to occupy their workplace if chief lender Wells Fargo moves to shut the factory down. Watch the short documentary released today on the events at the Hart Schaffner & Marx factory in Des Plaines, IL over the last week:

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow also highlighted the Hartmarx bankruptcy issue on her program Monday night. Watch her segment on the suit makers' plight to save their jobs here.

You can help Hartmarx workers by signing a letter to Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf asking him to choose a bidder who will save these jobs. We'll make sure the letter is delivered with your signature and keep you updated on the situation.

The public gave Wells Fargo $25 billion in bailout funds, but rather than investing that money in American jobs by keeping credit flowing, Wells Fargo is considering cutting the cord.

Workers at Hartmarx, the Chicago-based apparel company that makes President Obama's suits, may lose their jobs if Wells Fargo forces the company to liquidate. Two of the bidders on the manufacturer have said that they see the value in continuing the production of top quality suits and will keep the plant open and a third bidder wants to liquidate.

These Hartmarx workers are members of Workers United, SEIU's newest affiliate.

Please take a moment to sign a letter to Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf asking him to choose a bidder who will save these jobs. We'll make sure the letter is delivered with your signature and keep you updated on the situation.

http://seiuworkers.bluestatedigital.com/page/s/hartmarx

Yesterday, workers at Hartmarx voted in favor of a "sit in," which means that if Wells Fargo or a buyer tries to close the factory, the workers will remain at their job site.

These workers are taking a stand not just for their own jobs for all workers jeopardized by shortsighted banks.

The predecessor unions of Workers United like the ILGWU (remember "look for the union label") have represented Hartmarx employees for almost a hundred years.

Please stand with them today by co-signing the letter to Wells Fargo right now.

Hartmarx employees voted unanimously today to occupy their workplace if chief lender Wells Fargo or and its subsidiary Wachovia Bank should try to shut the factory down. "The vote today says Hartmarx workers are going to hold banks accountable for how they spend taxpayers' money and how they contribute to the future of our economy," said Noel Beasley, Executive Vice President of Workers United, an SEIU affiliate, the union that represents the Hartmarx workers.

As Wells Fargo pushes for a bankruptcy closure of the facility, the plight of 3,500 workers employed nationwide at the Chicago-based Hartmarx retail company has captured the attention of state politicians and numerous labor leaders. The workers were joined by Rep. Phil Hare, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and SEIU Illinois State Council president Tom Balanoff at the rally held after the "sit in" vote at the Des Plaines, IL plant to rally support for the suit maker label, which made the custom-made dark-navy suit Obama wore on Election Night in Chicago.

"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," said Rep. Phil Hare, who worked at a Hartmarx factory as a fabric cutter for 13 years. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Wells Fargo has reportedly denied payment to Hartmarx's fabric suppliers since December 2008. The factory filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias also spoke to the workers, saying he will press Hartmarx factories located in other states to take the bank off its list of preferred vendors if it forces the menswear plant into liquidation.

At the rally, more than 500 Hartmarx workers packed the factory cafeteria to applaud the vote outcome, shouting their support and displaying signs that said "Bailout money, $25 billion; CEO bonuses, $30 million; Saving our jobs, priceless" and "Banks get bailed out, workers get sold out."

More details about the Hartmarx workers' fight to save their jobs at Huffington Post, New York Times and SEIU's blog, here and here.

Update: There is reportedly more action in the works in support of Hartmarx workers this week, including a hotline for workers at other companies in financial distress and a congressional letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner. Stay tuned!

Last week we brought you news of the emerging struggle of suit makers for Chicago-based Hart Schaffner & Marx menswear factory, members of SEIU's newest affiliate Workers United, whose jobs are in jeopardy as chief lender Wells Fargo Bank pushes to liquidate the bankrupt company.

Historic "sit in" vote: Mirroring the six-day protest that helped save more than 250 Republic Windows and Doors workers from losing their jobs last December, Hartmarx workers voted unanimously this morning in favor of a "sit in" style action. This means that if Wells Fargo or a new owner tries to begin liquidation or close the factory, the workers will respond by physically occupying the factory.

With more than 3,000 jobs hanging in the balance, employees want the factory's largest creditor and recipient of $25 billion in taxpayers' bailout funds, Wells Fargo, to help it reorganize instead of shutting it down. The public is standing behind the 130-year-old company and slamming Wells Fargo for shortsightedly refusing to invest in U.S. companies and workers.

Workers United members at the Hart Schaffner & Marx (known as Hartmarx) menswear factory in Des Plaines, IL, make suits for President Obama, but their jobs may not make the cut.

Despite receiving $25 billion in federal government-backed money under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), Wells Fargo, creditor for parent company Hartmarx, is putting short-term profits over the survival of this longstanding company by trying to force the suit maker into liquidation. A group of congressmen headed by U.S. Rep. Phil Hare--a former Hartmarx worker--is charging that by refusing to extend credit to Hartmarx and lowering its borrowing capacity, Wells Fargo is backpedaling on a promise to keep the firm afloat until it can be sold.

Why Wells Fargo isn't trying harder to keep Hartmarx alive?

Hartmarx employees are understandably angry over Wells Fargo's actions, which forced the company that has been producing high-quality clothing apparel for over 100 years to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. "I can't believe that a bank that got some of this money would turn around and do us like this," said Ruby Sims, a 32-year employee of Hart Schaffner Marx menswear and president of the Chicago Midwest Region of Workers United, which represents 450 to 500 workers at the plant.

More and more, the situation seems similar to of the battle over Chicago's Republic Windows & Doors last year. In that instance, workers staged a peaceful sit-in in an effort to recover severance pay when the company shut down after Bank of America canceled its financing. Republic workers, political figures and millions of American taxpayers couldn't fathom how a bank that had just accepted $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money--money that was intended to get their credit flowing again--could not even manage to extend enough credit to the plant to meet its legal obligations to its workers. In the end, pressure from government officials, President-elect Obama and communities across the U.S. resulted in a victory for the workers.

It's not far-fetched to imagine circumstances playing out in a similar fashion as the Republic Windows & Doors sit-in, with Hartmarx workers declining to leave the plant if someone tries to shut it. As Joe Costigan, Treasurer of the Chicago region of Workers United said, "We're not going to rule anything like that out. We are not going to tolerate job destruction."

After all, don't you think taxpayers deserve some substantial proof that TARP is being used by its recipients for more than covering their own tails and lobbying against legislation that would improve the lives of workers? This might be a nice start.

Read about Representative Phil Hare and other members of Congress who are working to save 2,000 jobs at this 100 year-old company that bears the "Made in the USA" label.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user The Official White House Photostream.