Senators seek help for Maytag workers
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Printable FormatAssociated Press
WASHINGTON -- Senators from Illinois and Arkansas pleaded Wednesday for the Labor Department to come to the aid of 1,700 Maytag workers who have received notice that their plants owned by Whirlpool Corp. will be closing.
By year's end, about 1,000 workers are to lose their jobs at the plant in Herrin, Ill., with an additional 700 to become unemployed in Searcy, Ark., because of a similar plant closing.
Whirlpool, which recently acquired Maytag Corp., announced plans last week to shutter the 60-year-old Herrin plant and move production to Ohio.
Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama of Illinois and Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor of Arkansas told Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao that her agency should prepare to offer workers immediate assistance.
"Whirlpool's decision to close the Herrin, Illinois plant is a painful loss for Southern Illinois," Durbin, the Senate's second-highest ranking Democrat, said in a prepared statement. "We must do everything possible to immediately help Maytag workers get back on their feet if the Herrin closing goes forward."
Chao spokesman David James said the Labor Department stands ready to assist the workers. He said federal funds have been given to states to help dislocated workers find new career opportunities through local work force boards and one-stop career centers.
"If needed, Illinois and Arkansas could apply to the department for any additional resources on top of the federal funds which have already been allocated to the states through the Workforce Investment Act, which includes $93.9 million for Illinois and $14.3 million for Arkansas," he said.
Among the worker needs the senators cited were local one-stop career centers to help Maytag employees move into new jobs. They said the workers would need career counseling and job search assistance.
Officials say the Herrin closure will wipe out an estimated $30 million payroll spread among nearly 100 towns within an hour's drive.