Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 16:09:32 +0200 (CEST)

Levi Strauss announces closure of factories

On Tuesday 29th September '98 Levi Strauss announced its intention to close 3 factories in Belgium. This means 931 workers would lose their job. The workers went on strike, joint by the ones in the fourth distribution unit in Belgium. The trade unions protest against the closure. According to Levi's this measure is an answer to the overproduction of denim jeans. A meeting of the workers' council is foreseen on Monday

This only is part of a more general restucturation plan because also a factory in France with 530 workers and 2 production units with 900 workers in Texas would be closed.

Together with the closure of 11 other US factories earlier in '98 this leads to a total number of lay offs of 9000 people in less then one year.