The Electrolux plant in Greenville will idle half its work force for up to six weeks because of production headaches caused by a weekend fire that knocked out one of the refrigerator maker’s key suppliers.
More than 1,000 employees will be without work for four to six weeks, Electrolux spokesman Tony Evans said. It is a painful dress rehearsal ahead of November’s permanent shutdown of the Greenville factory.
A fire Saturday at the Mid-South Industries (MSI) plant in Annville, Ky., essentially severed the pipeline of refrigerator parts needed by Greenville workers. The MSI plant employs about 700 people who make cold control systems and ice and water systems for the refrigerators.
“We’re doing everything that is possible to try to get these parts back into production as soon as possible,” Evans said.
Idled workers are on layoff status, making them eligible to apply for unemployment benefits, Evans said.
Electrolux on Wednesday notified union leadership of the layoffs. Workers were to be told of the cuts today.
Kim DeKubber works on the side-by-side line and said rumors of layoffs spread quickly.
“I have no idea what’s going on,” she said. “People don’t like it because none of our questions are answered until the last minute.
“Everybody knows there are going to be layoffs, we just don’t know if we’re going to have people go to other departments and work or if we have to go part time.
“If we’re going to get laid off, we want to get laid off so we can start collecting unemployment.”
DeKubber said workers are frustrated with union leadership.
“We haven’t seen the union today,” she said of UAW Local 137. “I know a lot of people were trying to get a hold of them, but there was no one there to answer questions.”
UAW Local 137 President Jim Hoisington refused to answer questions about the layoffs. He referred questions to Electrolux.
The Greenville City Council discussed the possibility of layoffs during its Tuesday meeting, Mayor Lloyd Walker said.
“It is unfortunate to have this when they are facing permanent layoffs and most are trying to make the most of it and doing the best they can,” Walker said. “To have this layoff, it’s especially bad right now. We’ll just have to go along with it.”
Greenville has two task forces working to bring new jobs to the Montcalm County city of 8,000 people.
“We must continue to find new opportunities for manufacturers,” Walker said. “The question we need to answer is how are we going to help the workers that are laid off as a result of this?”
Electrolux announced last year it would close its Greenville plant in November, idling more than 2,700 workers.
The plant produces large capacity top-freezer and side-by-side refrigerators. Last year, the company moved its 18-cubic foot and smaller refrigerator production to South Carolina to make room for its high-end Icon side-by-side refrigerator.
From MLive