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# Garment workers protest local stores
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/garment-workers-protest-local-stores/
- Published: 2002-07-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:27:28.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Downtown, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

About 75 Chinese and Latino garment workers rallied outside two local stores accused of using sweatshop labor.

Joined by living wage advocates, Saturday’s protest was meant to symbolize a new joining of forces to combat sweatshops throughout the Los Angeles region.

The group — organized by the Garment Worker Center — targeted the retail stores Forever 21, located inside the Santa Monica Place Mall, and bebe, which is on the Third Street Promenade, for using sweatshops in downtown L.A. and El Monte, respectively.

Workers said they were paid sub-minimum wages with no overtime, allowed no breaks, and forced to toil in dirty and unsafe conditions to make women’s and junior’s clothing.

“Garment workers experience the same exploitation everywhere,” said Bik Kwan Chan, a garment worker, in a prepared statement. “I want... retailers to know, we will never give up the fight for fair wages.”

Latino garment workers launched a national boycott against Forever 21 last November after filing a lawsuit against the company a month earlier. Since then workers have conducted weekly protests against the company.

The group pledged to hold protests in front of the Santa Monica stores every week until their demands are met.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/070802-02_01.jpg)

to the Daily Press Garment workers protest Saturday in front of Promenade retail store bebe. (Photo: Franklin Smith/ Special)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 8, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/070802.pdf?ref=smdp.com)