By early 1997.Levi 's share of the domestic men's denim-jeans market fell to 26% in 1997 from 48% in 1990. Burdened by new debt, Levi 's in February 1997 announced plans to cut its salaried work force by 20% over 12 months. Last November, Mr. Haas announced the closing of the 11 U.S. plants and layoffs of 6,395 workers. The company says that none of those jobs were transferred overseas. Still, over the years the company shifted much of its work abroad. Industrywide in 1991, approxi-mately 15% of those jeans for the U.S. market were manufactured abroad. Approximately 45% of the jeans were produced in foreign plants by the end of 1997.