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Sheila McVay, left and Wanda Navarro, two workers who fought to keep the Hugo Boss plant open after the company said in 2010 it would close the Brooklyn facility. This week, the company again said the plant would be closing. This time in April 2015, when the contract expires. Organized labor said it would again fight the closing. McVay and Navarro shown at the plant during an event celebrating the reopening of the facility.

(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

BROOKLYN, Ohio -- The Hugo Boss plant, which workers rallied to save from closing in 2010, is scheduled to be shuttered in April 2015, local union leaders said Tuesday.

Company officials announced their intentions to close the plant just as the Workers United union was scheduled to set dates to begin preliminary contract talks. The current three-year-contract expires in April 2015. About 170 people work at the plant.

Hugo Boss said in a written statement emailed to The Plain Dealer on Tuesday, the company didn't offer many details on why it was choosing to close the factory.

"Following a review of the company's operations to ensure that its global manufacturing footprint is aligned with its global strategy, Hugo Boss determined that it will not renew the contract for its Cleveland manufacturing facility and will phase out production there over the next few months," the statement read.

Harriet Applegate, who heads the North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, said Tuesday workers and plant management were caught off guard Monday when a delegation from the Hugo Boss headquarters in Germany came to Cleveland.

"Neither the local management nor the union knew anything about it (plant's closing). They came from Germany, and said, 'You are closing. It is not your productivity. It is not about the money. We just want it closed.'"

Mark Milko, area director for Workers United union, said he would only offer this comment about the company's decision to close the plant.

"The union is looking at every option to keep production going in Brooklyn," he said.

Applegate agreed.

"The larger labor movement will be working hard to support the union's effort to keep the plant open in Cleveland, Ohio," she said.

In 2010, company officials said they were going to close the plant in favor of moving production abroad. The workers didn't accept it. They launched a multifaceted effort to save the plant, where men's suits are made. Much of the effort entailed a public campaign focused on the urgency of fighting back against the loss of middle class manufacturing jobs in America and the proliferation of fast-food, retail and other jobs that had come to replace them.

Many of the workers characterized their fight to keep the plant open as a fight to hold on to the American Dream. Danny Glover carried this message when he led the effort for his fellow actors to boycott wearing Hugo Boss clothing at the 2010 Academy Award ceremonies.

Monday's meeting stood in stark contrast to one in March 2012 at the Tiedeman Road facility. Then, union and company celebrated the signing of the three-year contract.

In the emailed statement, the company said it would attempt to help the laid-off workers find jobs.

"Hugo Boss is committed to working with the affected employees and their union representatives to assist them in transitioning to new employment. In addition, affected employees will be offered comprehensive severance packages and a range of outplacement opportunities," the statement read.