In Portland
Danner Boots made by UFCW members
Portland-headquartered Danner
Boots employs 180 members of
UFCW Local 555 who make and
sell work, outdoor, and military
boots. The Danner brand is currently
owned by LaCrosse Footwear Inc., a
publicly-traded company that
bought Danner in 1994. LaCrosse
relocated to Portland in 2001.
Last month, Tokyo-based ABC-
MART announced plans to purchase
LaCrosse. ABC-MART is the largest
retail shoe company in Asia.
Following the announcement,
CEO Joe Schneider said the Port-
land factory would not be affected.
During a recent tour of the plant,
company officials told the NW La-
bor Press that Japanese citizens love
Danner Boots and that Japan has
been a big customer for more than
Bonavy Chum performs a water test on a GORE-TEX liner that goes in
20 years. They said the recent Korea
some styles of Danner Boots. UFCW members make Danner Boots at a
Free Trade Agreement also has
60,000 square-foot factory in Northeast Portland.
opened up a new market for its
boots.
Jeff Anderson, secretary-treasurer of Local 555, said
“we look forward to continuing our good working rela-
tionship with Danner, and we look forward to expanding
our domestically-produced boots globally.”
A few weeks ago the U.S. Marine Corps placed an or-
der for 220,000 pairs of Danner’s Rugged All-Terrain
(RAT) hot weather and temperate boots. That’s a $29 mil-
lion pay day.
With that order Danner is recalling 15 workers who
were laid off in March after their last big military order
was completed. The company also is ramping up to hire
90 more workers in the coming months for a second shift,
said Union Representative Omar Aviña-Trejo.
“Not only is the United States Marine Corps’ request
for more RAT boots a testament to the boots’ proven per-
formance in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, it
speaks to our outstanding employees’ dedication to qual-
ity and service excellence,” CEO Schneider said in a news
release.
Danner does manufacture some of its boots in Asia. All
boots made in Portland have a flag of the U.S. stitched on
it, along with a label on the box that says, “Made in the
USA with Union Labor.”
UFCW ratified a new three-year contract at Danner in
January 2012.
AUGUST 17, 2012
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
The Members and Officers of
Office and Professional Employees
International Union Local 11
honor all working men and women
on this important holiday.
Happy Labor Day 2012!
3815 Columbia Street, Vancouver, WA 98660
1-800-547-8902 (toll free)
(360) 719-1766 (Vancouver line)
(503) 257-6691 (Portland line)
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