The Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE) announced that workers at Fingerhut Direct Marketing's recently re-opened St. Cloud distribution center have chosen UNITE to represent them at the revived catalog company, following the union's months-long struggle to save jobs at the facility.

UNITE will now begin contract negotiations for a workforce that is expected to grow much larger in coming months as Fingerhut rebuilds its customer base.

Workers and residents throughout the St. Cloud area celebrated the return of Fingerhut, which last month mailed its first catalog to customers in more than six months. New Fingerhut owners Tom Petters and Ted Deikel purchased Fingerhut in July after Federated Department Stores closed the St. Cloud center.

UNITE President Bruce Raynor said, 'The return of workers to Fingerhut is great news and confirms what we have been saying ever since Federated first announced their liquidation plans: Fingerhut is a viable company that simply needed the right buyer. We now look forward to getting to work with Fingerhut workers and the new ownership on a new contract.'

After Federated announced its intent to liquidate or sell off Fingerhut in January 2002, UNITE launched a comprehensive campaign to save thousands of jobs, which included outreach to potential investors and regular contact with elected officials such as late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch, St. Cloud Mayor John Ellenbecker and numerous local leaders.

Jane Palmbach, Manager of the UNITE Northern District Joint Board, said, 'The support that Fingerhut employees received from elected officials and communities throughout the region was incredible. We want to thank them for standing with us for the past year and we look forward to being able to report continued growth and good news from Fingerhut for many years to come.'

Maureen James, a newly-rehired Fingerhut employee, said, 'UNITE stood by us during some really tough times, and we look forward to having the union by our side during what we hope are better times to come. We are going to do our best to help rebuild this company and bring back the jobs that have been so important to St. Cloud.'

UNITE represents over 250,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, primarily in the apparel and textile industry, laundries, distribution centers, auto parts, and industrial manufacturing. UNITE has represented Fingerhut employees in multiple locations for over 40 years.