Ivory Leather, Inc., of West Fargo, ND, has been recognized for respecting workers’ rights and for providing sustainable wages and family-friendly benefits to its employees. The garment maker was among 10 companies on American Rights at Work Education Fund’s fifth annual Labor Day List, which each year publicizes successful union and management partnerships.
Owner Ruth Schepp, agreed to let her workers join the IAM back in 2008 through the majority sign-up process. The union and company then negotiated a first contract in just three hours. A proud supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, Schepp writes letters to newspapers throughout North Dakota, participates in numerous conference calls and joined a national coalition of business leaders that support the bill.
“I thought my employees deserved to have a pension, fair wages, safe working conditions and a good relationship with their boss,” says Schepp. “I also want to see other workers have that choice without fear of repercussions.”
“Labor Day List employers like Ivory Leathers show that productive labor relations benefit workers, their families, and the company’s bottom line,” says Acting American Rights Executive Director Kimberly Freeman. “Without a doubt, economic success does not have to come at the expense of workers’ rights. That’s why we chose to showcase companies that have demonstrated their unyielding support for the Employee Free Choice Act, which is fundamental to rebuilding our economy and empowering workers to achieve the American Dream.”
To find out more about Ivory Leathers, visit their website at www.ivoryleathers.com.
For a complete list of featured companies, click here.
