SEALED AIR TO CLOSE PACKAGING PLANT IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA….Teamsters local 238 seeking severance

[Omaha Steve]

http://gangbox.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/sealed-air-to-close-packaging-plant-in-cedar-rapids-iowateamsters-local-238-seeking-severance-for-the-215-workers-who-will-lose-their-jobs/

From the CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE:

Updated December 31. 2008 5:27PM

The Gazette
[e-mail]

CEDAR RAPIDS — Even as the Teamsters union prepares to talk to Sealed Air Cryovac about severance benefits for its members, a union leader said he remains hopeful the New Jersey company will reverse the plant closing announced Tuesday.

“We still hold out hope maybe somebody who doesn’t live or work around here will step back and say, “maybe this isn’t the smartest thing in the world to do,” said Gary Dunham, who leads Teamsters Local 238 of Cedar Rapids as its secretary-treasurer.

Dunham said the prospect that the plant could be slated for extinction didn’t come up in monthly meetings between union representatives and members in the plant.

“We were surprised,” Dunham said.

The plant, owned by Sealed Air Corp. manufactures packaging for the food industry.

“We do know this is their most productive plant,” Dunham said. “It can compete with any plant they have, except maybe Mexico.”

FULL story at link.