The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, Jan. 6, edition that a number of Gildan Activewear shareholders are escalating their dissatisfaction with the company by expressing support for a slate of dissident directors who would sack Gildan's board chairman and new chief executive officer. The Globe's David Milstead writes that Browning West said Dec. 29 it will seek a special shareholders meeting at Gildan to elect five new directors for the company's 11-member board. Now, five additional institutional shareholders are coming out publicly in support of Browning's director slate. The list includes Jarislowsky Fraser, Gildan's largest shareholder with a holding equal to 7.3 per cent of the company, and Cardinal Capital Management, which told The Globe that it is a supporter of the plan. All told, the six investors supporting the dissident slate own a combined 16.6 per cent of Gildan. The goal is to reverse the firing of former CEO and co-founder Glenn Chamandy. The board hired Vince Tyra, a former Fruit of the Loom executive, to replace him. A shareholder revolt followed. Browning West publicly criticized the move, pointing to Mr. Chamandy's long-term record and the performance of Gildan shares.