NEW ERA CAP URGES TEAMSTERS TO FOCUS ON NEGOTIATIONS

BUFFALO, NY, (November 5, 2007) - New Era Cap Company refutes assertions made by the Teamsters Union on November 3, 2007, that it discriminates against its employees in Alabama or anywhere else.

In the nine years New Era has operated in Alabama prior to the Teamsters organizing the Mobile facility, the company received two claims of racial discrimination, both of which were found to be of no merit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The most recent of these dates to 2005. New Era employs more than 900 people in Alabama.

Today, the company called on the Teamsters Union to focus on negotiations rather than resorting to false and irresponsible allegations of racial discrimination. New Era does not and will not tolerate discrimination of any kind in its facilities.

“We take great pride in the work we do and in the people who perform this work,” said Tim Freer, Vice President of Global Human Resources. “We will not stand for discrimination of any kind in our facilities.”

New Era is proud to be a Category A member of the Fair Labor Association, its most advanced recognition, and sits on the FLA’s board of directors. Category A members of the FLA are required to adhere to a stringent code of conduct that includes providing a workplace free from discrimination of any kind. The company’s facilities in Alabama and throughout the country are systematically and repeatedly reviewed by outside independent auditors and have been found to uphold these standards. Annually, all employees are trained on the FLA codes including non-discrimination.

So far this year, an unannounced, third-party audit was conducted in Mobile in September and this audit found no claims of discrimination. In addition, the FLA conducted its own audit of the company’s Jackson facility through an independent external auditor in July and similarly found no discrimination. In each case, auditors conducted confidential and independent interviews with workers confirming non-discrimination.

New Era also rejects claims of anti-union sentiment, citing its strong relationship with the Communications Workers of America, which represents the company’s manufacturing workforce in Derby, NY. New Era and the CWA were the joint recipients of Cornell University’s “Champions @ Work” award in recognition of their ongoing cooperative relationship.
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About New Era Cap
Since 1920, New Era Cap, located in Buffalo, New York, has been the world’s premier headwear brand with products that transcend time, culture, sport and fashion. Producing more than 30 million caps per year, New Era is the exclusive manufacturer and marketer of the official on-field cap worn by every Major League Baseball team and their Minor League affiliates and maintaining agreements with other licensed entities. Some of the Company’s core markets include Action Sports, Children, Fan, Suburban, Women and Fashion/Lifestyle. The Company employs people in New York, Alabama and at its operations in Canada, Europe and Japan.

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CONTACT:
Dana Marciniak
Corporate Communications Manager
(716) 536-9913
dana.marciniak@neweracap.com