Rubbermaid laying off 99 employees

The Rubbermaid plant in Jackson will lay off 99 of its 665 employees starting in mid-July.

Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association, said the plant will lay off the first half of the employees by July 23 and the remainder will be notified by the end of August. The layoffs will affect production, warehouse and distribution staff, and a few at the administrative level, Robinson said.

Local Rubbermaid executives declined to comment, referring questions to corporate headquarters in Fairlawn, Ohio. The public information representative in Fairlawn did not return phone calls.

Robinson, however, said that he was told that the layoffs will be permanent. Because of rising material costs and the need to cut expenses, Rubbermaid is downsizing at Jackson and other locations.

"A lot of companies in the last couple of years are trying to correct inefficiencies and cost increases," Robinson said. "They needed to change some of the product lines and do things that are more profitable. In the long run this will strengthen the company."

Robinson said that his organization and the area business community are concerned about the employees who will be downsized.

"Toward the end of July we will have meetings at the plant to explain to the workers what the benefits are out there in terms of retraining, educational opportunities, job assistance, that kind of thing," Robinson said.

The city of Jackson, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Recruitment Association plan to hold job fairs toward the end of July and are now contacting major employers who have job openings to invite them to meet with the Rubbermaid employees.

The Jackson Rubbermaid facility makes wood and metal closet organizers that it distributes to various retail outlets and housing developers.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160