Glass Molders Pottery International Union executive officer Randy Gould says layoffs at Kokomo Sanitary Pottery are mostly out of the union’s control. 15 employees were laid off from the plant as a result of decreasing orders. Gould says the nationwide housing downturn has lead to fewer orders, which means the plant can’t afford as many workers. He says national trade policies don’t do much to encourage domestic manufacturing.
Gould says the union can encourage employers to invest in their plants and do the most they can to deliver a quality product. But he says this is a difficult task when foreign products are cheaper. Gould says if the orders increase, workers who lost their jobs could get them back due to recall rights. He says the plant told him not t0 anticipate any more layoffs, but that could change based on the orders the plant receives.
