http://www.wcax.com/story/30421303/north-country-employer-announces-massive-layoffs
The announcement from the company yesterday will put nearly 500
people out of work, the latest in a long series of cutbacks in Alcoa's
Massena operations over the past 10 years.
The company says it was forced to take decisive action after seeing aluminum prices drop 30 percent in the past year.
"Very
concerned about the impact this will have in the short term...also the
long-term... last major employer that we have ... It is detrimental to
Massena," said Massena Mayor Timmy Currier.
"Spend the next few
days discussing what is best for our members, getting all the benefits
we can, whether it be state or out of our contract that we can for
them," said Robert Smith from United Steel Workers.
Alcoa says it
will begin scaling back operations before the end of the year and close
the West plant in early 2016. Alcoa will keep open a casting and
extrusion plant, employing about 220 people.
But just last
year, Alcoa agreed to maintain 750 jobs in Massena in exchange for
low-cost power from the state. State officials and local lawmakers
expressed anger and disappointment that the company is failing to keep
its end of the bargain.
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