Energizer has told workers at its plants in Portage and Fennimore it plans to close both facilities in the next year or two, according to a union representing nearly 600 workers at the plants.
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PORTAGE, Wis. — Energizer has told workers at its plants in Portage and Fennimore it plans to close both facilities in the next year or two, according to a union representing nearly 600 workers at the plants.
In a statement Thursday, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said it is fighting the plans to close the facilities and move some operations to a nonunion plant in North Carolina and other jobs overseas.
“Energizer is putting a plan in motion to kill hundreds of good jobs here in America and offshore them in favor of even bigger profits,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in the release. “Some workers have been in these factories for more than 40 years. The American public should be outraged by these plans. Our entire union is furious. If Energizer thinks it’s going to outsource American jobs and destroy Wisconsin communities, we’ve got news for them — the Teamsters are coming and we will stop at nothing to protect American workers.”
Energizer did not answer specific questions from News 3 Now Thursday afternoon about when the plants could close or how many employees could be impacted, but the company did share a brief statement saying it is working to keep those affected updated on the process.
“Energizer Holdings is in communications with our colleagues and their union representatives about the future of our Fennimore and Portage facilities in Wisconsin,” the unsigned statement said. “We will continue to focus on our colleagues – the people closest to this issue and who matter the most – as we work toward a final resolution.”
As of Thursday afternoon, Energizer has not filed layoff notices with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
COPYRIGHT 2023 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.