TOWN OF TONAWNADA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two months after the Sumitomo Rubber plant in the Town of Tonawanda abruptly closed, leaving 1,500 workers suddenly without a job, many former employees are still trying to find work.
On Friday, the New York State Department of Labor held its second job fair aimed at Sumitomo workers at the Lincoln Park Athletic Center in Tonawanda.
I caught up with former workers to talk with them about how they're doing.
Don Kisloski: “With the holidays it kind of like. The stress is gone, but now it's beginning of the year and I feel like I. You know, I have to be working, I guess... From following on Facebook I've seen very few have found work. You know, limited. I put the number maybe 5%.”
James Sheridan: “It's tough, you know, you work somewhere for a long period of time. It's a good paying job, good benefits.”
Jennifer Bauth: “A little rough trying to find jobs, yeah.”
Nicholas Cullinan: “It's been a struggle because they released us at the worst possible time.”
Among those looking to hire at the fair was Stratis Gavrilidis, general manager of Sherwood Electromotion in West Seneca.
"Our biggest challenge is finding stable people that can show up every day for work and commit to 40 hours a week, and I think with this job fair, you see the stability of the Sumitomo employees. I think it's refreshing really," he said.
Assemblyman Bill Conrad said he's heard from several former workers who have found work. He also hears from business owners who are eager to hire.
“Manufacturing is still on the rise in this area and finding the. Folks that can do that work in an efficient way and don't have to be trained from scratch are quite an asset," Conrad said.
