More Of The Same: Levi Strauss Closing All Canadian Plants
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News today from Levi Strauss is that they are going to close all their Canadian plants.
One sewing plant in Alberta and another two plants in Ontario are being closed in early 2004.
Now for their reasoning and the questions asked by our media.
From Julie Klee – “Moving away from owned-and-operated manufacturing to a broader sourcing base will strengthen our business by giving us much more flexibility. It will allow us to use the right sources – with the capabilities and cost-competitiveness that we need – to get a wider range of products to market faster.”
The CBC highlighted the move but did not expand on the article and response from the mouthpiece of the corporation.
The above quote is a cons way of saying, “due to having to pay living wages here in Canada to Canadians and thus not being able to fully maximize profits we have decided to move our operations out of Canada and into the third world. It will allow us to pay as little as possible and not spend money on overhead such as benefits and employee safety. Nor will we be held accountable for any actions we may take in the new host nation.”
Shame on the CBC for not pressing the talking head Julie Klee for expanded and truthful divergence of information. This announcement equals the unemployment for almost 1200 more Canadians.
What is more troubling is that this is becoming a norm. Companies moving out of Canada to the third world to 'strengthen their business', and the media not saying much about it other than the bare essentials.
Statement from UNITE President Bruce Raynor on the closing of the last Levi Strauss production facilities in the United States and Canada:
“This is a tragic day for Levi workers, for their families and for their towns. At a time when over 10 million workers in North America are looking for jobs, these plant closings are yet another indictment of a failed trade policy that is destroying entire industries and communities as companies scour the globe for the cheapest, most vulnerable labor they can find. UNITE places the blame for this tragedy squarely at the feet of the Bush Administration.”
Add to that Chretien, Martin and the rest of the Canadian sellouts.
From the CBC
From Globe and Mail
@ September 25, 2003