Forever 21 started out in the working class neighborhoods of LA, selling affordable clothes that girls could wear to clubs and hanging out on the weekend. Today, they've got dozens of stores in malls across the nation, and have a new store set to open at the Beverly Center, the Mecca of southland mall shoppers. It's a story that the Business section loves.

But, reality is never that simple; there's a dark side to the Cinderella story. That's why over 150 people were demonstrating at the Fashion 21 store in Highland Park, one of the original Forever 21 outlets. They protested the chain for using contractors that have failed to pay a minimum wage, and maintained deplorable working condition.

Garment workers started contacting the Garment Workers' Center with complaints, and after a couple months, a pattern was evident. Fashion 21 is alleged to contract with contractors that pay subminimum wages, no overtime, no water, and ten to twelve hour days.

Ninenteen garment workers, with assistance from the GWC, attempted to negotiate with Forever 21 to get their owed wages. When they were rebuffed, they escalated the conflict turning to the public for support.

Since then, they've garnered support from fifty organizations, ranging from USAS, the United Students Against Sweatshops, a national anti-sweatshop organization, to rock group Rage Against the Machine, and politicians Judy Chu, Jackie Goldberg, and Eric Garcetti.

They are now calling for a national boycott of all Forever 21/Fashion 21 shops, and are organizing future demonstrations at Fashion 21 in Highland Park every Saturday until Christmas.

The link below goes to the campaign website.

Toward the end of the picket, this one guy shows up and starts to argue with one of the GWC organizers, saying that the picket is hurting business at the neigboring store (it may have) and telling her to move the picket inward four feet. I was watching this and it got worse and worse, until the picket ended. As she walked away, he *spit* at her and stormed away.

Later, the police said that they knew about him, and pointed out that he didn't even work on the boulevard. We'd assumed that he was an upset business owner because of his talk about the businesses, but, it turned out he was just a random idiot with a grudge against the picketers, trying to start a big fight.

What's up with that!?!

Please, no violence.

I am an Asian... (and if you've ever bother to read the labels on F21's clothes, most are made in HongKong or China.. and other Asian countries) that could've ended up working in some Sweatshop. But I do not think that there is ANYTHING wrong with Forever 21 paying people "sub minimum wages" in "sweat shops". Just because you are SO LUCKY in America to HAVE a high minimum wage, in many other countries, $0.10 cents an hour is PLENTY. The conditions are worse, but then again, conditions in almost ALL other countries are worse than in the US (and I am not ignorant, I have been to China, Japan, HongKong, America, Canada and Singapore). It costs more to make the clothes here in the US and that IS PRECISELY the reason that any business would have sweatshops in other countries!! It IS after all, A BUSINESS. If they were not able to pay lower wages, the clothes at Forever 21 would be very pricey and it would not be so popular and profitable a business. If anyone has researched Forever 21's business history, it's growth is unbelievable. Over 60% in the last year. And you know what that means?? MORE JOBS! Less people starving, and EVERYONE IS HAPPY. Just because your standard of living is so high, doesn't mean that anything below that is "unlivable"! ALSO, Forever 21 has many clothes made IN THE USA. And lastly, I want to say that I support sweatshops for giving so many people jobs, in countries where without their only attainable job, they would have even less.

WRONG! Apparel sweatshops in America are worse than in China BY FAR! You might have "been" to those places, but your comments belie your continuing ignorance....fabric comes from Japan...not completed garments...the cost of labor is too high. In Canada, they have great conditions, but the labor costs are also too high. In America, the conditions are the worst, which includes American protectorates. Quality is also terrible, it is the only way that they can compete with the cheaper labor markets. Once the quotas are lifted in 2005, there won't be anymore apparel mfgr in US, EXCEPT for protectorates like Guam...Any company that deals with sweatshops shows a contempt for both workers AND customers.

...you don't know what the fuck you are talking about.

No one said anything about clothing being made in japan or canada, One Eyed Man. Simply, it was stated that "I Defend Sweatshops" had been there.
To understand how to end sweatshops, we must first understand the CAUSE.
First one thing everyone seems to agree on is that making clothing in the US is costing too much and is driving business away. Washington and Oregon have the highest minimum wage, and also have the highest unemployment rate... coincidence? I think not. As previously mentioned in another comment, the clothing industry is a business, meaning money is what they are concerned with, also the customers of clothing companies who put together their clothing in sweatshops are concerned with money. In the case of Forever-TwentyOne, their clothing are extremely "cheap" compared to other stores, and that is what the customers are concerned with. Without the customers, Forever 21 would be out of business, but it is an endless cycle. If America's wages stay high, unemployment will stay high, meaning customers would most likely sacrifice morality (sometimes even quality) for cheap stylish clothing, such as that which Forever 21 provides; while another effect of high wages in America forces businesses away = sweatshops. It is a cycle, and the stores are not to be targeted, they are only trying to make their money, do business; it is the system that is wrong.

...Rejection, you post makes no fuckin' sense. Why don't we have everyone work for free, then the problem would be solved in your eyes it seems...

...and your gonna have to do better than the Oregon/Washington minimum wage bullshit to support your flacid "thoughts"....

I THINK THAT FOREVER 21 IS AN AWSOME STORE FOR WOMEN MY SIZE AND SWEAT SHOPS WILL NEVER COME TO AN END, YOU KNOW WHAT IF THEY DIDNT WANT TO WORK IN THAT ENVIROMENT WHY THE HELL DID THEY GO THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, THIS IS THE USA HELLO YOU CAN WORK ANYWHERE AND IF THERE NOT SUPOSED TO BE HERE AND ARE WORKING IN THESE SHOPS BECAUSE OF THAT THEN SEND THEM HOME. PRAISE FOR FOREVER 21

DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. NO I DIDN'T THINK SO THERE ARE LAWS IN THIS COUNT THERE ARE LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY HELLO OR DON'T YOU THINK LAWS MUST BE FOLLOWED SO WHY ARE YOU FOR CRIMINALS AND AGAINST PEOPLE. FUCK FOREVER 21.

You have no respect for people. If you don't have something serious to say about this subject you shouldn't be writing about it. I support forever21. These poeple made the choice to work in these "sweatshops" for a reason and you want to take away from them what little they do recieve. They can leave anytime they want. Only they know how they feel. So maybe we should all just get over it. When they have a problem with it they will speak up for themselves. Right now it seems as if they appreciate what they make and maybe even consider themselves lucky. It's better than being on the street asking for money.

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a question I have. Im wondering why on every Forever 21 bag...right at the bottom of the bag , it says John 3:16?

The John 3:16 at the bottom of evry Forever 21 bag is a bible verse that says "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only begotten son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish and have an everlasting life." It's talking about howGod sacrificed Jesus 2000 years ago when he died on the cross and resurrected after 3 days. In those 3 days He overcame sin and so if we accept God in our hearts and hav him as our Lord and savior we can have salvation with God. That's a good thing because then when we die, we can spend our eternity in heaven and not in hell. God bless u guys!

This issue is about BACK PAY. They worked for subcontractors, and did not get paid. They are seeking their wages for work already done.

Also, this talk about "any job is better than no job" leads to no good. If you think like that, you are only one small step from accepting slavery back into society.

John 3:16 is pretty darn mystical. How about something more concrete, like "a fair days wages for a fair days work"? That would be a better thing for them to contemplate. Mysticism cannot make up for morals, or a lack thereof.

Okay, so John 3:16 is talking about God's love for the world and how he gave his son for our sins. But what does this have to do with Forever21? Don't Christians find it offensive that this excerpt is so overused even in a context that is completely irrelevent to its message? (Even in the audience of football games??) Who came up with the idea of advertising a religion on the bottom of a shopping bag and what kind of a mesage does that send to belivers and non-believers alike about that religion?

If you've ever looked at the bottom of In-N-Out containers, they all have bible verses underneath. (In-N-Out is a hamburger place on the west coast) Just like Forever 21 does. It's not like, OUTRIGHT preaching or anything. Most people dont even notice.

I would like to start out by explaining that my major is in political economics, so I'm not completely ignorant about the subject at hand. Most scholars of economics would agree with "Rejection's" statement. It is "the system". Capitalism is a very amoral mechanism that gives jobs and opportunities to some while starving others to death. We all just fight to get on its good side. But do understand that I do NOT agree with capitalism. I believe we should live under a system that is guided by morals and not by profit. I understand why people protest many businesses. I myself have participated in a few protests. And while I agree that a lot more parties are involved than just the business being protested, I wonder - where are we to start the creation of an economic system more concerned with fairness than end of the year bonuses? Perhaps non-violent protests are that beginning. Although I'm not sure - the political atmosphere would definitely need a shift towards Keynesian government influence, instead of Bush's Reaganomic policies. I would love an economy's success to be measured by it’s Gini Coefficient (a measurement of an economy's equality regarding distribution of income) rather than it's GDP.
On a separate topic, I do find it interesting that Forever 21 puts John 3:16 on it's bags. This is not something "mystical". It is the epitome of Christian beliefs summed up into a single verse. It is the first verse that any practicing Christian would ever memorize. I also find it intriguing that this verse begins a paragraph about the basis of Christian beliefs that ends in verse 21. To add - the book of John (the most widely quoted Gospel of the Bible) has exactly 21 chapters.
And while a fast food restaurant on the west coast may quote scripture, it is strange that a store known for it's low-cut cleavage showing shirts and silk teddies would be "advertising" bible verses. Many, more conservative Christians might find this offensive. Others may see it as some sort of tool to "reach out" to "non-believers". I'm am curious as to what Forever 21's agenda is exactly. If anyone knows anything - please post.

I just noticed the whole John 3:16 thing, which i thought was interesting, more, i'm suprised that i just noticed, but either way, what completley annoys me are ppl who say that by doing that religion is being forced on them, but as a Christian, sin is forced on me eveyday, but you don't hear me complaining, maybe i should start..but somehow i doubt is will be justified.

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only begotten son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish and have an everlasting life."

There's a power, God, who isn't a person, who caused a woman to get pregnant without having sex. She has a son, Jesus. If you believe that Jesus is the son of God, then you will live eternally in a place called Heaven.

That sounds mystical to me.

It takes a leap of faith to believe this. Either that, or, you're so indoctrinated to the idea that it takes a leap of faith to stop believing it.

Good question about why it's on F21 stuff. I bet the owners are faithful mystics.

inquiring minds want to know

Capitalism is a very amoral mechanism that gives jobs and opportunities to some while starving others to death.

You're blaming the free market and capitalism on the fact of life that resources are not distributed equally?

The tragedy of communism is that it did the same thing you're accusing capitalism of, only the shortages and mass starvation was caused by evil humans.

We all just fight to get on its good side.

Life is competition. That's not a new idea, except maybe to government workers and American kollij perfessors. How do you "fight" for success? By obeying laws, by studying at least 2 hours a day, by NOT having children before you're ready and working hard.

I believe we should live under a system that is guided by morals and not by profit.

There are such people in the world; they're called "The Amish."

Get your money back from the kollij. You've been lied to for too long.