Levi Strauss cuts another 2,000, shutters U.S. plants

San Francisco Business Times ^ | 9/25/03

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

San Francisco blue jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co. said Thursday it would close its remaining North America manufacturing and finishing plants, firing nearly 2,000 employees in the process, or about 11 percent of its global workforce.

The news comes days after the company said it would cut bout 350 salaried jobs in the U.S., with about 300 additional jobs cut in Europe in an effort to reduce costs in the face of reduced product pricing.

In April 2002, Levi Strauss closed six of its eight U.S. manufacturing plants, including its oldest on Valencia Street in San Francisco. The closures pink slipped 3,300 employees, or 20 percent of Levi's worldwide workforce.

The sewing plants closed in three phases and included four in Texas, and one in Georgia.

During that 2002 round of closures, there were 100 layoffs in San Francisco, where Levi had made jeans in its Mission District facility since 1906. The closures were part of Levi's turnaround plan, which involves getting out of manufacturing to focus on marketing. The company has been losing sales and profits for half a decade and has shifted manufacturing to offshore contractors like many of its competitors.

The remaining two U.S. plants were in San Antonio Texas.

[TopQuark]

He speaks the truth. I understand that sometimes the truth - that the corporate fat cats who have bought and paid for the best politicians money can buy - hurts, but it is still the truth.

Just tell us what you know about functioning of a business. Have you even been in the same room where "fat cats" make decisions?

Defaming people is not nice --- your mother as well as priest/minister/rabbi have told you that, I am sure.

[TopQuark]

Americans are getting impatient with this "recovery" that produces jobs only in the third world.

Maybe that's it: maybe Americans should be more patient?

Ah, you feel entitled to the good times we've had and now someonr has to be guilty for their end.

After the market crash in 1929, the stock market did not climb back up until 1952. How's that for patience?

[Starwind]

Sorry your ability to read declines as we speak:

Read what? Your posts are content-free innuendo and ad-hominem. You don't know the first thing about economics or business.

you cannot fool a fool.

Case in point. Your sole strength seems to be name calling, which you exercise quite liberally.

[staytrue]

I like wranglers. Where do you buy them?

[staytrue]

The outsourcing of even the OFFICIAL REPUBLICAN PARTY solicitations to an overseas firm is proof of this!

This is an urban legend and is totally false. And exactly what does bush have to do with Levis ? Nothing. What does clark propose to stop outsourcing ? Nothing.

[Jim Cane]

After the market crash in 1929, the stock market did not climb back up until 1952. How's that for patience?

Fat cats were making money after the '29 crash. The stock market (just as it is now) was going gangbuster in the mid 30's, but only an idiot would declare that the Depression was over at the time. People were out of work in huge numbers, but at least they didn't suffer the insult to their intelligence of people waiving phoney government unemployment stats at them in order to convince them that they weren't really hungry. 6.1% my @$$. Try 9 or 10. Not Great Depression levels, but getting there.

[TopQuark]

Fat cats were making money after the '29 crash. True. And some were gettting very thin. Some were blowing heads off, too.

The stock market (just as it is now) was going gangbuster in the mid 30's, Yeh, the market fluctuates, that's deep.

but only an idiot would declare that the Depression was over at the time. Of course only an idiot would say that. Thank G-d nobody hear said that.

but at least they didn't suffer the insult to their intelligence of people waiving phoney government unemployment stats at them Aaaaah. It's a privolege to have you onboard --- you are the only one that knows the trith amids this massive coverup by the govermnent.

in order to convince them that they weren't really hungry. Wow, that's impressive! So you are telling us that the average American worker is hungry.

You adherence to the truth and reality is amazing. Maybe YOU should run for presidency? You certainly mastered multimedia.

6.1% my @$$. I don't think it'll fir there. You seem to have put your thinking ability in there already. Only the anger remains ourside.

Try 9 or 10. Not Great Depression levels, but getting there.

:)

[shhrubbery!]

This was one of the most 'gay-friendly' companies in the world, right? They probably hurt their bottom line (no pun intended), paying out all those health insurance costs for gay domestic partners with AIDS.

[waterstraat]

Free trade: means that it is better to get rid of the amercian citizens who work for you, and hire chinese communists instead.

[Fledermaus]

If they moved their headquarters from the People's Republic of San Francisco they could probably save enough money to expand their North American plants.

Lots of great, cheap land in beautiful Tennessee with lots and lots of hard working, non-union labor.

[Fledermaus]

"Free" trade pushes companies to relocate the production to the cheap labor countries. This results in trade deficit and budget deficit as imports increase and the tax base decreases.

Poppycock. Did you get that out of a box of Cracker Jacks?

[ARCADIA]

Poppycock. Did you get that out of a box of Cracker Jacks?

Actually, he is right. In the old days we use to call it dumping. Which is why so many foreign nations are pressuring us to revoke our anti-dumping laws.

[jas3]

The original principles included slavery and prohibited women from voting. Are you in favor of those positions A. Pole?

Or do you pick and choose which original principle you wish to support. That way you can claim moral support for your arugment from the founders and ignore their position on other principles.

People are not starving to death. Exageratation does not help your cause.

[superloser]

by historical standards, we are doing fine; the situation is being misrepresented by the loud voices we hear

Agreed, however, it was "so good" for "so long" and we're such a "gimme" society that, well....it'll take a while for people to come back to reality.

I do not need an explanation that at 20% unemployment indeed becomes a social problem.

Then you are one of the rare people here. A lot of people don't understand that, alas.

[snopercod]

Revenge for State of California v. Levi Strauss & Co., 41 Cal. 3d 460, 224 Cal. Rptr. 605, 715 P.2d 564, 571 (1986 class action lawsuit alleging that clothing manufacturer fixed price of blue jeans)?

[A. Pole]

The original principles included slavery and prohibited women from voting. Are you in favor of those positions A. Pole?

Can you find such principles in the Constitution? No. Women were not prohibited to vote by the Constitution, simply at that time it was an unknown idea, once it became popular it was implemented and there was no Constitutional prohibition to prevent it.

[Walkin Man]

I just bought the last pair of Levis I will ever own.

[jas3]

If there was no Constitutional prohibition to prevent women from voting, then why did the Constitution need to be amended to allow it?

Obviously it was amended because it did prohibit women from voting. To claim otherwise is folly.

And absolutely the Constitution embraces slavery.

The Constitution was/is/and always will be a flawed document.

Your support for original principles is selective and is not convincing.

[GraniteStateConservative]

If you mean voting for Clark, don't. Clark is a globalist like Clinton-- his master. At least Dennis Kucinich wants us out of the WTO. Only Nader and Buchanan opposed trade with China in 2000-- broken clock being right twice and all.