Committee Collects Signatures Against J.P. Stevens Products

The Massachusetts Women's Committee for Justice for J.P. Stevens Workers yesterday announced a drive to try to get over 10,000 Jordan Marsh credit-card holders to sign petitions opposing Jordan Marsh's selling and advertising of Stevens products.

"We're launching the drive to let people know of the problems J.P. Stevens workers are having and to let Jordan Marsh know their customers aren't happy about it," Joan M. Harrington, co-chairman of the committee, said yesterday.

J.P. Stevens, the nation's second largest textile manufacturer, has been the target of an AFL-CIO-sponsored boycott since 1976 because of its alleged labor law violations.

Harrington said Jordan Marsh, one of the major sellers of J.P. Stevens products in New England, has refused to comply with the committee's demands that Jordan Marsh stop selling Stevens products.

"We met with William Tilburg, chairman of the board of Jordan Marsh, February 12 and he said Jordan Marsh would not continue carrying the Stevens line of sheets and towels. They haven't, but they are still selling other Stevens products," Harrington said.

Tilburg was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Sister Peggy Comfrey, co-chairman of the committee, said the drive will cover Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine and "will seek signatures from Jordan Marsh customers as they enter and exit the stores."

She added the drive will end in May with a march to Jordan's Boston store where the petitions will be presented to Tilburg.

A number of women state representatives and senators received informal invitations to the press conference to announce the drive, State Sen. Marie E. Howe, vice chairman of the state commerce and labor committee, said yesterday.