Levi Strauss Plant Closes; Hundreds Lose Jobs

KATV ^ | Tuesday March 07, 2006 | Rusty Jackson

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

Little Rock - Hundreds of people are out of work Tuesday night after a major announcement at the Levi Strauss company. The company's Little Rock distribution plant will be closing its doors as early as August. The move will put 340 people out of work. The plant is located just south of Little Rock off Interstate 530 along the Pratt Road Exit.

Levi Strauss closed down the plant because company officials said it already has three major distribution plants in North America and this one was no longer necessary. Little rock native, Mary Bleck, has worked at the plant for nearly 30 years, and she found out Monday during a managers meeting she would no longer have a job. She says her initial reaction was shock.

(Mary Bleck, worker) Because I thought we were prospering with all the work we had been doing and really was just initially shocked..."

Tuesday morning at 8:00, the rest of the workers got the news of the closing.

(E.J. Bernacki, Levi Strauss) "They've done great work. This is not a reflection on them at all. It's really just a matter of business conditions and our network being over capacity."

Bernacki said the workers will receive a competitive severance package, but that still doesn't take away the sting of losing a job you've had most your life.

(Bleck) "It's sad they are leaving. Thirty years is a long time to work for a company. Now here you're thinking about having to start all over again..."

Mary Bleck is only one of many who will have to start over.

[RS]

http://www.ecplaza.net/tradeleads/seller/1689666/jeans_casual_wear_mens.html

Looks like these guys make wrangler ( or maybe wlanglel :-)

over there, but I think it's for their domestic market.