Back to most recent IRP news • Browse archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
Tuxedo Junction celebrates its resettled refugee employees
Tuxedo Junction's Vice President of Operations Jeffrey Sprague selects a vest from a distribution center rack.
Photo: Carol Fouke-Mpoyo
|
Buffalo, New York -- If that tuxedo you are wearing came from Tuxedo Junction, in all likelihood a resettled refugee helped get it ready for you. At Tuxedo Junction's distribution center in suburban Buffalo, New York, about half of the 200 employees are refugees.
Each year, Tuxedo Junction rents out between 200,000 and 250,000 tuxedos through outlets across the United States and Puerto Rico for weddings, proms, quinceañeras, cruises, and other formal occasions.
Staff in the company's 60,000 square foot Williamsville, N.Y., facility mend, launder, alter, press, package, and ship each one plus assorted accessories. When the garments are returned post-occasion, the cycle begins again.
Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc., the Church World Service resettlement affiliate in Buffalo, considers Tuxedo Junction to be among its exemplary employers.
While the work is seasonal – peak tuxedo rental season is April to November – Tuxedo Junction hires as many as 25 new Journey's End clients annually, not counting re-hires from previous seasons or clients from other local resettlement agencies.
"For a newly arrived refugee, it's a great first job," said Debbie Bowers, Journey's End employment specialist, who helps between 60-100 newly arrived refugee clients find work every year. "Then in November, when Tuxedo Junction lays off all but a skeleton crew for the winter, employees who have worked a full six months can collect unemployment compensation, which helps them until they can get another job."
In fact, more than half of Tuxedo Junction’s employees return the next season. "I have clients who want this job because they want the break between November and April," Bowers said. "It's an excellent seasonal job for a woman who wants work that complements her husband's job."
 Peter William, a refugee from Burundi, selects tuxedo vests. Photo: Journey's End
|
In December 2006, Snyder sold the company to Sprague and others in the management group that he had assembled to oversee his business.
"Until Debbie made contact, I didn't know Journey's End existed," said Sprague, who has worked at Tuxedo Junction since 1976. "She explained the program very well."
Sprague immediately empathized with the struggles of newly resettled refugees to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible. "My grandfather came from Germany, and had to find work and learn English," he said. "These people went through pretty tough things to come here.”"
He continued with praise for Journey's End’s support.
"Journey's End helps its clients get to work the first day. To this day, I can call and a Journey's End staff person comes to help me with paperwork and with clients' questions."
For his part, Sprague will accompany brand-new employees to their bus stop after work the first few days to be sure they make it home. "If I was new to Ethiopia, I wouldn't know what to do," he said.
Tuxedo Junction hired the first Somali Bantu woman to be resettled to Buffalo, Bowers said. Now many Burmese and Somali refugees are among the company's employees.
"We currently have employees from 10 nations speaking seven languages working with us," Sprague commented. "We're proud of the fact that we have the most depth and diversity of people in our industry. They bring their life skills and experiences to us."
He added, "The language barrier is the hardest thing, but the more diverse you are, the easier it is to become more diverse." For example, the first Burmese employees to be trained now show new hires what to do. Even employees with little English learn quickly when they are shown a task.
Accommodations for the needs of a diverse work force, Sprague said, have included finding a private place for a Muslim man to wash his feet before prayers, and working out a flexible schedule for a husband so he could share childcare with his wife.
 Refugee employees sort and inspect tuxedo shoes. Photo: Journey's End
|
He demonstrated how garments are pressed, introduced an employee who was hard at work adjusting sleeve and pant lengths to customers’ specifications, and pointed out the industrial-sized dry cleaning machines, washers, and dryers.
As for what he'd advise other employers considering hiring refugees, Sprague said, "Don't be afraid. There is a lot of character in these people. Any reservations I had about hiring newly arrived refugees eased very quickly. They are honest, hard working folks, eager to please and always on time."
By Carol Fouke-Mpoyo
Second in a series of articles featuring enterprises identified by CWS affiliates as exemplary employers of refugees.
Back to most recent IRP news • Browse archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • Back to top