Arrests reported at Colibri auction

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Arrests reported at Colibri auction

March 20, 2009

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Protests and Demonstrations

East Providence, R.I.--The Providence Journal is reporting that 14 protestors were arrested Thursday as they unsuccessfully attempted to the block the auction of The Colibri Group's assets.

Back in January, a judge placed the now-defunct jewelry manufacturer into receivership--a legal action in which a court-appointed receiver takes charge of the company's assets and financial affairs--because the company was struggling financially.

The company ceased operations and, according to the Journal, left 280 employees without jobs.

Since then, The Colibri Group has attracted the ire of former workers, who say the closing of the plant violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which mandates that companies who employ more than 100 workers give employees 60' days notice of plant closings or major layoffs.

A state Department of Labor and Training spokeswoman told the paper that Colibri did file notice on Feb. 19 that it was closing the plant but noted that it was unclear whether that filing fit the requirements of the WARN Act.

On Thursday, the Journal reports that as the auction took place at the Colibri plant in East Providence Thursday, more than 100 people, including former employees and members of workers' right groups, picketed outside in protest.

A similar protest involving more than 200 people took place last month.

Describing Thursday's protest as "noisy, but peaceful" a police officer told the Journal that those arrested had been charged with disturbing the peace or refusing to move, and all were released by late afternoon.

A manufacturer that once sold jewelry and smoking accessories through more than 20,000 retail outlets, both chains and independents, The Colibri Group auction included the brands Seth Thomas, Colibri, Dolan Bullock, Krementz, Firebird, Linden, Oro de Dios, Reload and Darling Diamonds.

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