A textile union is urging American and Canadian students to boycott clothier American Eagle Outfitters when doing their back-to-school shopping, alleging the company's Canadian workers labour under poor conditions.

Unite Here, a group representing union members in the textile industry, allege that workers at National Logistics Services, a distributor for the Pennsylvania-based American Eagle, have poor job security and were harassed when they tried to form a union.

"American Eagle's code of conduct for vendors and contractors specifically protects freedom of association and other basic rights for the employees of its contractors," the group said in a release.

"Though Unite Here has charged that NLS's actions violate the terms set out in the company's code, American Eagle has not taken any steps to enforce it and take responsibility for the dispute at its subcontractor."

Jani Strand, an American Eagle Outfitters spokesperson, said that American Eagle Outfitters is just one customer served by NLS.

"We regret to have become the target of Unite Here's campaign against NLS," Strand told CBC.ca.

"American Eagle Outfitters has a code of conduct that respects the right of freedom of association of course and NLS [workers] overwhelmingly voted against union association in front of the Ontario Labour Relations Board."

Any remaining labour issues are before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Strand said.

Unite Here has organized rallies in Toronto, Montreal and New York over the past few weeks, urging consumers not to buy from the store.