Thu
Apr 10 2008
08:40:am
Maryville layoffs
By: R. Neal  shortURL

Daily Times reports that Newell Rubbermaid is cutting 200 Blount Co. jobs. WBIR reports that police cars were stationed outside the plant as workers were called to a company meeting for the announcement. According to news reports, employees were told to take the day off.

UPDATE: KNS has reaction from Mayor Cunningham.

UPDATE: Here's the Daily Times full report. Questions: Rep. Overbey is quoted as saying the IDB recruited Rubbermaid. Wonder what incentives they got from local and state government?

Also, there are several remarks about notice. Companies are required to give employees, local government, and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 60 days advance notice about layoffs:

WARN offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of plant closings, mass layoffs and/or sale of a business. This notice must be provided to affected employees or their representatives (e.g., a labor union); to the state Dislocated Worker Unit; and to the appropriate unit of local government. (See Public Law 100-379, Sec.3.)

The article says layoffs will be complete by September, so I guess that is 60 days. But it appears the first termination could not occur before June 10th in order to comply with the 60 days notice requirement. I wonder if they have filed the appropriate notices, and who did they file them with in the County?

Topics:

Many hispanics had been

Submitted by ABlevins on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 10:36.

Many hispanics had been employed there until the first of this year. When new laws came into effect in January they let all go who had questionable papers. I don't know if the two issues are related.
Now 200 more persons are out of work. We are in some rough waters and it seems it will only be getting rougher.....

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Who cares if illegal aliens

Submitted by phinney on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 09:43.

Who cares if illegal aliens were let go? How is that relevant to the story?

Lester

Relevent...

Submitted by gime_shltr on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 13:42.

Apparently, the jobs that are being let go are going to be absorbed in Texas and Ohio.

Didn't TN just pass a new law that requires employers to validate the employee's work papers? Anyone found in violation get's fined.

My opinion this is the first step in any immigration issue. Take the candy off of the coffee table and put it up on a high shelf, quick punishing the kid. (now if the kid climbs up on the shelf...another issue)

I wonder what the employement laws are in Texas and Ohio?

I'll give you 200 guesses.

I read where the Associated

Submitted by phinney on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 14:14.

I read where the Associated Press was reporting that some jobs were moving to Ohio. But I didn’t see anything regarding Texas. Who are the sources saying the jobs are going to Texas? That would be interesting. Why would Rubbermaid move its jobs to Texas: to make it more convenient for the illegals?

I understand your notion about punishing the kid. However, I would build a wall around the table.

Lester

build a wall

Submitted by gime_shltr on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 15:15.

Can't find where I read Texas and Ohio, been all over today.

How much does a wall cost vs. moving a jar (fining a business)?

Is there something more there that your afraid of? Walls don't work, they create isolationism, that is not exactly the desire is it?

Texass for Lester

Submitted by mello on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 16:28.

The office products maker said it is cutting about 200 jobs in Blount County and shifting work to Texas and Ohio, leaving about 400 manufacturing and distribution positions at its Maryville plant.

Gee, you must have missed that word in the KNS article. Oh, wait, that word was in the KNS article twice.

Company spokeswoman Connie Bryant said the move was prompted by the fact the Texas and Ohio facilities make similar products.

Reading glasses

Submitted by ABlevins on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 23:56.

Put on your reading glasses, Lester I stated that I do not know if the two issues are related......

This is just something I know about the company. I heard that they started hiring some that were more than likely illegals a few years ago. I am sure all these persons presented papers of some kind.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Don't worry about those jobs

Submitted by mello on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 10:44.

Blount County is planning to create a federal penitentiary in downtown Maryville. Those laid off workers can look forward to working as guards.

More on this mess after tonight's commission workshop.

Blount County is planning to

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 10:52.

Blount County is planning to create a federal penitentiary in downtown Maryville.

Say what?

naw, say HOW?

Submitted by mello on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 10:59.

(link...)

I really did not want to go in to details on this thread so I'll start another thread just for this topic after tonight's Workshop.

Oh please

Submitted by Andy on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 13:43.

The Sheriff brings this up just about every year, making like we rely on the Federal prisoners for our upkeep. I know we pay quite a bit for things like jail medical care. Love to see some figures on whether it evens out in the end. Even if it does, I do not ever want this to become a penitentiary town.

"Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference." --Voltaire

I hope they keep these

Submitted by ABlevins on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 14:22.

I hope they keep these "federal prisoners" seperated from the local crooks and drunks and such.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Is this the beginning of a Domino effect?

Submitted by BeyondLeft on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 15:18.

White Lilly's shutting down, as well. The spouses of the Rubbermaid employees had to hear the bad news on the Television. Very ethical. Sure am glad we're fightin' 'em over there instead of over here, cuz, I suppose that makes destroying our economy, all worth it.

Rubbermaid uses Petroleum products, so I reckon their raw materials have gone up in value a bit.

viva Evo Morales

Breaking Even

Submitted by FarmerJohn on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 16:19.

I would like to know the same. I plan on asking my county commissioner to look into it. Berrong keeps saying he needs the federal prisoners for money (and possible grants) but how much are we really paying to house, feed, and provide medical care for FEDERAL inmates. I say quit accepting the federal inamtes.

Beyond that, aren't federal

Submitted by BC fan on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 16:33.

Beyond that, aren't federal prisoners are a "gift" from the federal government?

What happens if another party gets into the White House, say one that a certain family hasn't donated thousands of dollars to, will the gift remain?

How hard is it for the government to pull federal prisoners from one location to put them in another? What happens if we built it, and they don't come?

JC's quote is down right funny in a sad sort of way

Submitted by mello on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 17:38.

“I am very surprised that any company would have handled the manner in the way that this company chose,” he said in a press release.

If you don't see the irony in this quote you just ain't payin' attention...

Like I've said before, keep him talking...

Submitted by seejaneride on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 21:52.

SeeJaneRide

...because the more Jerry Cunningham talks, the WORSE he looks. You'd think he'd get tired of chewing on his feet. He keeps sticking them in his pie-hole and making a fool of himself. Ladies and gents, this is Blount County's MAYOR!

she said

Submitted by FarmerJohn on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 11:03.

pie-hole (giggle)

Co-Op

Submitted by BeyondLeft on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 12:03.

Word of mouth, merely, but me heard that Co-Op down-sized by ~9 people recently.

Let's borrow some more Money for this Oil War. It seems to be having such a positive effect on our economy. Better turn your prayer rugs towards Houston.

viva Evo Morales

Rubbermaid

Submitted by Andy on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 17:23.

Looks like today's longer version in the DT has a few more details: (link...)

"Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference." --Voltaire

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