Date of publication: April 29, 2009
Source: New York Times
Author: A. G. Sulzberger
When state labor investigators raided a clothing manufacturer near the Flatiron Building on Tuesday night, they were surprised by what they found.
Dangling on hangers, ready for delivery, were rows of dress uniforms — complete with the familiar insignia, the gold buttons, the deep blue fabric — intended for use for formal occasions by New York City police officers.
Those uniforms, and others destined for hospitals, hotels and a local university, were among roughly 400 pieces of clothing seized by the State Department of Labor, along with the equipment used to produce the clothing. It was the first use, officials said, of a 2006 law that allows the state to seize goods and equipment from garment manufacturers charged with multiple violations of labor standards...