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Chrysler: Wear Leather or We'll Have Your Hide!

Posted Oct 17th 2008 1:30AM by TMZ Staff

The suits at Chrysler must have purposely wanted to piss PETA off, because they just issued a mandate to their employees forcing them to wear leather (and only leather) shoes -- or they won't get a paycheck.

The memo sent to the car company's factory workers states: "... all employee's [sic] shall not wear any shoe with open toe or open heal, Canvas, Suede, Mesh, plastic, pleather or any shoe with a raised heel. Only shoes/boots of solid leather composition are allowed ..."

If workers don't have leather shoes on, they'll be sent home -- and Chrysler specifically threatens no pay if this occurs.

PETA already had a cow over the memo, of course, and sent Chrysler this letter of condemnation.

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16. It is a private company who has the legal right to dictate dress code without the outside interference of a third party.

90% of the PETA people are fakes anyway. The guy probably dictated the response while sitting in the drive through at McDonalds.

Posted at 8:42AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Dan

17. I get PETA, but come on, they've become so dictative and self-righteous that people don't even focus on their cause anymore. It's all about the attention-getting antics. Chrysler's issue is clearly about safety and although someone mentioned that leather doesn't protect any better, I think it's about non-skid bottoms. Doesn't PETA do their research before condemning anything anymore? Even their number one spokeswoman, Pam Anderson, appeared on a show sponsored by KFC, before she realized it.

Posted at 8:00AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Kat

18. I agree with Kat. Also, since so many cattle are killed anyway, the skins may as well be used. It's not encouraging slaughter, like expensive snake-skin or other exotic hides.

I used to work at a place that required solid, closed-toe shoes but they didn't tell us what they had to be made from. You can put a steel toe in a rubber boot. This does have sort of a shoe-Nazi taste to it.

Posted at 8:35AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Kay

19. The memo reads "heal" not "heel"! This is an English teacher's worst nightmare!

Posted at 8:52AM on Oct 17th 2008 by TarenB

20. I am so over PETA...they lost it for me when they said Ben and Jerry's should start making ice cream with breast milk!!!

Posted at 8:46AM on Oct 17th 2008 by AmyLynne

21. There is a reason why leather and if you don't know..Look up the acronym OSHA.

Posted at 8:56AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Dale

22. They should just let them wear whatever the hell they want; put some warning signs up everywhere that will indicate what will happen if something falls or is spilled on their foot. Let evolution take care of the rest. :P

Posted at 9:09AM on Oct 17th 2008 by GoldenGate

23. Safety first my American friends.

Hell, doesn't PETA realize we wore leather in the beginning of time (Evolution time not creationist time). There would be alot of animals running around if we didn't eat just a few of them and wear 2-3 a month!

~Kerry From Kanada

Posted at 9:44AM on Oct 17th 2008 by BuffyTheSlayr

24. Anyone who disagrees with Chrysler's footwear mandate is an IDIOT! Leather is tough material, not susceptible to cutting, burning, tearing, or any other abuse a normal factory job entails. PETA is freaking ridiculous! I like animals just as much as the next girl, but come on, kids, they were put here on Earth as a source of food and clothing. HELLLLOOOO! We have sharp canine teeth and molars for grinding plants...that makes us omnivores. That means that nature has INTENDED upon us eating both meat and plants. Anything else just goes against nature. Do I believe in cruelty to animals? No. I like them better than people. Especially beside my mashed potatoes and gravy..

Posted at 1:18PM on Oct 20th 2008 by Lovin' the Leather

25. I think it's kinda cool that PETA did this....I have never owned anything leather and probably never will...it's too expensive!! Anyway, I think that if companies are going to demand you wear a certain thing that they should provide it for you!! Why do we have to spend money on something we wouldn't wear anywhere else but work??

Posted at 10:29AM on Oct 17th 2008 by amy

26. great reporting as usual, TMZ....wanna tell us WHY they issued the mandate? it's kind of an important detail, but then again, it's not like you guys are LEGITIMATE press

Posted at 10:47AM on Oct 17th 2008 by bettie

27. My husband is an assembly line worker for Chrsyler in Michigan and DID NOT get this letter and never has. Leather work shoes are required for safety reasons. They also do not allow shorts to be worn on the factory floor. Gloves and arm protection have to be worn for certain jobs as well as face masks. Anyone not adhering to regular safety codes is pulled off the job for their own benefit.

Posted at 11:18AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Dori

28. this is nothing new. this has been a policy for a very long time. but they probably had to put it out there again for people not following policy. people try to get away with alot in the shop.

Posted at 1:18PM on Oct 17th 2008 by kim

29. Why do we have to spend money on something we wouldn't wear anywhere else but work?? You really asked this Amy???? I mean really??? Do you know how many employees are REQUIRED to purchase their uniforms? What about how many men wear suits to work who normally wear just jeans and a tshirt?

PETA and it's rants are so entertaining. My pets wear leather... HOW ABOUT THAT???

Posted at 11:24AM on Oct 17th 2008 by BamaShay

30. This is standard for all factories! Nothing new here!

Posted at 11:40AM on Oct 17th 2008 by Sarah

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