Yesterday, clothing manufacturer Hugo Boss announced it would be closing its Cleveland factory and putting more than 300 American workers out of work. The union workers, members of Workers United/SEIU, are protected by their contracts from the company's attempt to put them on the street until April 30, 2010.

President of Workers United Bruce Raynor issued this statement:

"For generations, hardworking Americans in Ohio have built the brand of Hugo Boss by making high quality suits and apparel on wages that could support a family. Today, however, the German company has decided to put profit ahead of people. The profitable and growing Hugo Boss company is shutting its doors in Ohio not out of economic necessity but out of greed.

"Hugo Boss will not remain a select brand for very long if its new business model is to put people who make a living wage out of work and offshore their jobs to sweatshops.

"Workers United has tried to negotiate with Hugo Boss in good faith. This multinational apparel giant's proposals to cut these workers' wages from about $13.00/hour to less than $9.00/hour were flat out offensive, as were its attempts to persuade the State of Ohio to pay them $3 million in tax incentives to keep their manufacturing plant in the state.

"Workers United members fought for their contract that protects them from Hugo Boss putting them on the street today. The union will stand by their side to fight for their jobs from this day forward."

Hugo Boss issued a statement explaining why it's closing the plant, saying:

"The production plant in Cleveland makes only two styles of standard men's suits and does not produce any fashion pieces."

I don't know about you, but last time I checked, it was the DESIGNER'S job to DESIGN the clothing their line creates, not the worker who's on the manufacturing line mass producing it.