<HTML>  <HEAD> <TITLE>H.S.O.E. Headlines</TITLE> <META NAME=GENERATOR CONTENT="Claris Home Page 3.0"> <X-CLARIS-WINDOW TOP=120 BOTTOM=741 LEFT=39 RIGHT=677> <X-CLARIS-TAGVIEW MODE=minimal> </HEAD> <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <CENTER><A NAME=TOP></A><A HREF="http://www.realmedia.com/RealMedia/rmedia4/click.cgi/www.h-s-online.com/headpage2.html"><IMG SRC="http://www.realmedia.com/RealMedia/rmedia4/adstream.cgi/www.h-s-online.com/headpage2.html" X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEWIDTH X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEHEIGHT BORDER=0 ALIGN=middle></A> <IMG SRC="../graphics/white.gif" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=10 ALIGN=middle> <IMG SRC="../headings/HEADLINE.JPEG" WIDTH=600 HEIGHT=12 ALIGN=bottom> <IMG SRC="../graphics/white.gif" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=10 ALIGN=middle> <TABLE BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 WIDTH="100%"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="100%"> 80 to lose jobs in plant closing By Joyce Koballa Herald-Standard Staff Writer MASONTOWN &emdash; About 80 workers at Gateway Sportswear Inc. are apparently losing their jobs because their primary contractor has decided to take his business overseas. Workers of the plant said they were recently informed that the plant will close Nov. 18 because there won't be enough work without the prime contractor, Land's End, whose clothing is manufactured by various companies across the world. Workers at the plant sew various clothing items for the Wisconsin-based company. According to Claudia Albright, vice president of the Unite Union Local 445 and union chairperson for the factory, the Masontown location will be the third of four such factories to close within the last six years, all owned by Harold Gitomer. Gitomer confirmed the closing but wouldn't give any details. He said the Masontown factory is closing because there is not enough work. He would not confirm whether or not the factory produces garments for Land's End, but did say Gateway Sportswear does make clothing for various manufacturers in the U.S. Gateway was initially incorporated in Charleroi, but that factory closed approximately five years ago, followed shortly after by the closing of another plant in Confluence. The remaining factory is located in New Kensington and will not close, said Gitomer. ''Our aim is to stay open, not go out of business'' said Gitomer. Gateway Sportswear has been in operation in Masontown since 1980. Albright, who has worked there for the last 17 years, said Land's End announced it will take its work to El Salvador decreasing the number of clothing pieces sewn by the factory from 2,500 to 500 per week. Michelle Casper, media relations spokesperson for Land's End, could not be reached for comment. In an effort to keep the factory open, Albright said employees are already boycotting Land's End. She added that employment at the factory started to be reduced in March when between 15 and 20 people were permanently laid off. During that time, Albright said the remaining employees applied through the Trade Reform Act to go back to school and were approved to attend at no cost. She said the news came as a shock. ''We have some people here completely devastated right now,'' said Albright. In boycotting Land's End, Albright is asking that the public call the company's toll-free number in support of the area job market. ''The government should start spending money to keep work in the U.S.,'' said Albright. She said anyone wishing to contact Land's End is asked to call 1-800-356-4444. </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <IMG SRC="../graphics/white.gif" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=10 ALIGN=middle> <A HREF="#TOP"><IMG SRC="../headings/backtop.jpeg" WIDTH=600 HEIGHT=12 BORDER=0 ALIGN=bottom></A> <IMG SRC="../graphics/white.gif" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=10 ALIGN=middle> <IMG SRC="../graphics/copyrite.gif" WIDTH=180 HEIGHT=13 ALIGN=middle naturalsizeflag=3> <IMG SRC="../graphics/hsoesmal.gif" WIDTH=51 HEIGHT=26 ALIGN=bottom naturalsizeflag=3></CENTER> </BODY> </HTML>