Philips Workers Honored for Their Fight
June 24, 2011
Employees of the Philips lighting fixture plant in Sparta, Tenn., were among those honored for their efforts to keep an award-winning light fixture plant from moving to Mexico June 20.
Local 2143 President Bo McCurry, 25-year employee, told the crowd:
The factory had received numerous awards over the years for excellence, including being named one of North America’s top 10 plants by Industry Week magazine in 2009. But without explanation, Netherlands-based Philips – which purchased the factory in 2007 – announced last fall that it was shutting down it down and moving most of the work to Mexico by 2012, putting 275 workers out of a job. As industry analyst Kevin Meyer wrote about the closure announcement, it was:
The Sparta plant would be the sixth U.S. facility outsourced by Philips since 2007. Also honored was actor James Cromwell and United Streetcar, an IBEW-represented company known for its close partnership between labor and management. Says McCurry:
Go to www.tellphilips.com for more information.
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