ROCKWOOD: Johnson Controls expects to layoff 125
ROCKWOOD — Christmas likely will be bleak for 125 employees who face losing their jobs at Johnson Controls.
The lay offs are expected to be announced Dec. 23, just two days before Christmas.
Mayor Gary Guzzi said there never is a good time to get this kind of news, but just before Christmas seems worse.
Company officials recently announced that Johnson Controls will shut down in July and relocate to Northwood, Ohio. The company has about 240 employees. Some will have an opportunity to transfer to Ohio, but a company spokeswoman would not comment on how many.
The mayor said city residents, many employed at the autoseat maker, are extremely concerned.
Calls are beginning to come in to City Hall from residents who want to know what city officials can do, Guzzi said.
He said he and City Council members are being approached at meetings and on the street about the situation, as well.
Guzzi, noticeably dis-urbed over the situation, said officials’ hands are tied, explaining that John-son Controls does not have a problem with the city.
“Johnson Controls has explained to me that they sell a product and they have no buyers for it,” Guzzi said. “It’s just that simple. The auto industry definitely is hurting right now.”
He that said if there was an issue with the city, there would at least be some course of action offi-cials could take.
“It’s unfortunate, like anything else (going on in the economy),” he said. “But, we have been given the position of spectator in this.”
Upon getting the initial news about the closing several weeks ago, the mayor went directly to Johnson Controls management to discuss the matter. It was made clear to him that a corporate decision had been made and the city has no role in that decision.
“I tried to engage them in some kind of discussion, letting them know if there was anything we could do to help them stay we could talk about it,” he said.
Guzzi said it just boils down to this being a business decision. He thought that because the plant was not scheduled to shut down until July, the city had some time to perhaps work something out.
With this latest news of imminent layoffs, the mayor said the situation looks more “like a ticking clock” counting down the time.
Knowing that there are some households where the husband and wife work at the plant is even more unsettling to city officials.
“Losing your job is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a family,” the mayor said. “People are extremely concerned, and so are we.”
What also is a concern to city officials is that residents are looking to them for answers, and they don’t have any.
Guzzi noted that Johnson Controls, which made its home in Rockwood eight years ago, sought employees of the former Reckitt Benckiser when the manufacturer of cleaning products shut down its Rockwood operation several years ago.
That could mean there are numerous employees at Johnson Controls with Rockwood ties. Guzzi said he has no way of knowing just how many.
He said unless something changes with John-son Controls, the city can’t do anything to change the company’s course.
Labels: Johnson Controls, layoffs
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