Workers at the GE-Savant lighting facility in Bucyrus, Ohio are fighting for their jobs after the company issued a WARN notice, informing workers they intend to move the LED residential light bulb line out of the facility to China, permanently laying off 80 workers. The GE-Savant facility is one of the only residential lighting plants left in the USA, where workers currently make bulbs for Walmart.
Will Evans, GE-Savant worker and President of IUE-CWA Local 84704, which represents over 200 workers at the plant had this to say about the situation:
“This plant has been in the community for over 60 years and we are proud to clock in here everyday to make light bulbs. We want to do everything we can to keep these good jobs in our community. GE-Savant says it wants to keep our jobs here – well let’s leave no stone unturned. We are asking that the company cooperate with a joint labor-management study to see what can be done to keep this work in the plant. We are concerned not just about these 80 jobs – we are worried that if this product line leaves, the whole plant could close, leaving over 200 people out on the street. We are proposing a cost share for the study between the union, the company and the city.”