'Unionmade' Clothing Maker Receives Cease-And-Desist Letter From American Unions

[unhappycamper]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/union-made-clothing-afl-cio_n_2218551.html?utm_hp_ref=business




'Unionmade' Clothing Maker Receives Cease-And-Desist Letter From American Unions
Dave Jamieson
Posted: 11/30/2012 12:04 pm EST Updated: 11/30/2012 3:01 pm EST

The leading federation for organized labor has sent a stern cease-and-desist letter to "Unionmade," the trendy apparel maker whose products, it turns out, are often not union-made.

The letter from the AFL-CIO calls out the San Francisco-based clothing company for "misleading" its customers with its name and also for potentially violating the AFL-CIO's trademark handshake logo.

"The AFL-CIO finds your use of the UNIONMADE mark highly misleading as the dictionary definition and understanding amongst the public is that 'union-made' means 'produced by workers belonging to a labor union,'" the letter reads.

The letter, which was dated Nov. 29 and sent by the AFL-CIO's outside legal counsel, urges Unionmade company officials to "see Dictionary.com" for more details.

[otherone]

1. what is unionmade's deal

[unhappycamper]

3. What's in a name?

In this case, misdirection.

[xchrom]

2. good. nt

[tomm2thumbs]

4. Sounds like '24 Hour Fitness' - which isn't necessarily open 24 hours

They'll probably argue it's their brand name and they don't have to follow any rules in that regard. But in the meantime, they'll be spending some big $$$ to fight it, will get heaps of bad publicity and lots of bad karma, and will no doubt find themselves at the short end of a very long line of consumers going elsewhere.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out, legally.

[rucky]

10. or the Macaroni Grill

which has no macaroni on the menu, those fuckers.

[rDigital]

12. Dirty pool for sure. LOL nt

[nilram]

13. Right. And have you ever seen an olive tree at the "Olive Garden"?

Now I'm going to start looking into whether the Cheesecake Factory really makes their own cheesecake!

[Historic NY]

28. Thankfully Hooters has...well you know....

Owls.

[99th_Monkey]

30. "LA Fitness" isn't in LA either, or at least MINE isn't. ~nt

[MyTwoSense]

5. The urban lumberjack look...

Clothing for people who want to look outdoorsy as they prance from their condo to that new bistro for a latte.

[Chan790]

7. Your point...

some of us are that hipster. I don't prance though, I float on a pillow of my own self-importance. Also, lattes are for the weak-stomached and children. I'll have a triple con panna.

I'd never buy Unionmade's clothes though...too trendy and now I know they're not even union-made. Thrift-store! Dead man's pants for teh winnnn!

[WCGreen]

29. Classic...

I float on a pillow of my own self-importance...

[Luminous Animal]

24. San Franciscans don't prance to bistros for a latte. We prance to cafes for a latte and prance

to bistros for wine and food. We also often prance long distances in the outdoors because we have wonderful urban trails for prancing. And we live near many coastal and mountain trails that are great for prancing. I use a combination of prancing and public transportation to and from work. Depending on my mood, I may prance 8 miles a day. Many San Franciscans prefer to prance on their bikes but I prefer prancing on foot.

[Hekate]

31. Then in a twinkling I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof...

edited to correct the quote. must have correct quote!

[Luminous Animal]

34. Well, there is that, too! LOL!

[AndyTiedye]

32. Prance and Dance

[NuttyFluffers]

35. i'm partial to flouncing

works my billowy garments more.

[99Forever]

6. How about Scabmade?

Some truth in advertising is in order.

[Lightbulb_on]

17. Terminology question...

Is a scab any person who isn't a member of a union?

I was under the impression that a "scab" was a person who came in to do a union members job while they are striking etc...

[99Forever]

18. For the most part, you are correct.

How about Ratmade instead?

[Unrepentant Fenian]

8. Even if the cease-and-desist letter doesn't hold up, at least word of the fraud is getting out!

I hope that "Union Made" either goes all Union made or they go under. Spreading the word wil help. Thanks for posting this. I'll be sure to pass it on.

[Luminous Animal]

26. I posted contact info in post #23... company, twitter, and Facebook. Pass that on too, please.

[progressoid]

9. Shades of Walmart's "We buy American"

[woo me with science]

11. That's what corporatists do. They LIE and pretend to be what they are not.

Just like those who pose as proud Democrats while supporting indefinite detention, "kill lists" and drone wars, pre-emptive war as administration doctrine, warrantless spying and massive spy centers to collect the information, internet IDs and internet-censoring measures like ACTA and CISPA, military drones in American skies, coordinated violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters, strip searches for any arrestee, drilling and pipelines and selling off the Gulf of Mexico, bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks, corrupt agricultural empires, corporate education deform, anti-union garbage, cutting or "tweaking" Medicare and Social Security, and austerity budgets in an economy that has already impoverished its middle class...

Anything to win, and profit.

[HiPointDem]

19. +1

[bluestate10]

22. Bullshit. It is ok for people to have a point of view on issues that is different from mine.

You are drawing false equivalence between a company attempting to outright lie and people that have honest differences of opinion on political issues that don't match your. Get some perspective on life.

[marasinghe]

33. i see: collateral killings of innocents, wars of plunder on other countries,

exploiting foreign populations for their resources, moving towards fascist control of our own country, and suchlike -- are just honest differences of opinion; as opposed to a company lying outright to con people into buying their products, which is a heinous crime.

just goes to confirm my own take on equivalence -- DU has its own group of fucking assholes, who are the Democratic Party's gang of proto-fascists, tying to propagate their dominance & elitist status on the rest of the World.

damn all murdering, thieving, lying, hypocritical assholes, whatever flag they come waving -- is what i say.

[Luminous Animal]

27. Yep. You are a good egg, woo.

[Enrique]

14. it's an "overarching concept"

at least their spokesman has a sense of humor...

http://gawker.com/5961169/unionmade-retailer-of-expensive-fashions-that-are-not-union-made

"The name UNIONMADE is an overarching concept and narrative for the store, signifying that we strive to carry well made and aesthetically timeless goods."

[Odin2005]

15. Yuck, corporate duck-speak!

[HiPointDem]

20. god. no wonder americans are increasingly insane, this is the sea they swim in.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

36. Or drown in.

[Raine]

16. DISGUSTING to use that name and mislead people

DISPICABLE ASSHOLES!

[bluestate10]

21. Look like the company makes a concerted attempt to deceive consumers. The truth on them

must be posted far and wide.

[Luminous Animal]

25. Facebook, twitter, and company contact emails in post #23.

It would be great if you utilized one or all.

[Luminous Animal]

23. Contact them...

http://www.unionmadegoods.com/AboutUs.html

http://unionmadegoods.com/CustomerCare.html
PHONE: [phone]
EMAIL: [e-mail]

On twitter https://twitter.com/_UNIONMADE_
@_UNIONMADE_ (my tweet: @_UNIONMADE_ is a #fraud @AFLCIO)

On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/UNIONMADE/185517215954?ref=ts

There is one right by my house. I've never been in because I shop at second hand stores but, this new info has inspired me to create a public art project. No no no, I'm not going to touch the store.

[Union Scribe]

38. Awesome, thank you! nt

[Union Scribe]

37. That sounds like Kid Rock's BS "Made in Detroit" line

(Though perhaps El Salvador has become part of Detroit since I last checked a map.)

The offshoring scum KNOW that we want to buy US goods, so instead of bringing home jobs they just lie, because it's easier. Go get 'em, AFL-CIO!

[woo me with science]

39. K&R