Carrier workers say severance package can’t replace jobs
They would rather have their jobs than the severance package offered for the plant’s closure next year, Carrier employees indicated of a severance package agreement reached last week.
Laid-off employees will be given one week of pay for every full year of seniority, educational assistance, and three months of free health and dental insurance. But those benefits did not seem to soften the blow to longtime employees who said they are unsure where they will go to work or what they will do when the plant closes.
“I’ve spent 28 years down there and I’m out of a job. Nobody’s happy,” said Carrier employee Ricky Adcock after working a Thursday shift. As far as the severance package, Adcock said educational assistance offered by Carrier officials may or may not help him.
“As of right now, I’m undecided. I’m about too old to go back to school and I’m about too old to get another job,” the tooling coordinator added.
Ricky Myers, a 30-year employee who works as a stockman, had similar feelings about his future. He said he doesn’t think the Morrison plant should be closed at all because it was profitable and added he believes employees from another closing Carrier plant were given better terms. Carrier officials said this week it is policy not to release details of severance packages.
Myers said he had not heard anyone talking about going back to school so far.
“What can I do? I put my life in right up here. What am I going to train for? There’s no big demand for what I do,” he added.
Mark Holder, a six-year employee who works in coil production, said the package means he will receive six weeks of pay and some insurance benefits, but won’t be able to afford COBRA insurance after those benefits expire. Holder and his wife, Angela, both work at the plant and have five children to support.
“I think it’s very weak. This plant’s been here for a long time and made Carrier a lot of money. It’s been the backbone of Carrier for a long time,” he said.
Educational assistance was met with some raised eyebrows as well.
“They act like this option of going back to school is some big benefit,” Holder added, “but how practical is it to go back to school when you’re trying to feed a family of seven?”
Carrier spokesperson Nancy Lintner had no comment on the severance package. Neither did union representative for the United Steelworkers Local 1155, Joe Sliger.