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September 23, 2009 – Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson sent a letter today urging federal officials to help minimize the hardship from Tenneco’s decision to close its Cozad automotive manufacturing plant by identifying developmental, training and job opportunities for the 500 Nebraskans whose jobs are being eliminated.
“As we have seen over the past year, the stability of the domestic auto industry plays a significant role in communities across our country, both large and small; and this announcement’s impact on Tenneco’s employees, their families, and the people of Cozad and surrounding communities concerns me greatly,” Nelson wrote to Ed Montgomery, director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.
Nelson wrote to draw the attention of the White House council overseeing help for American auto workers affected by auto industry troubles. In his letter, he told Montgomery that that the loss of 500 jobs in Cozad, which has slightly more than 4,200 residents, could dramatically affect the community, with many people unemployed or forced to leave the area to find new jobs.
On September 22, Tenneco officials announced they plan to close the automotive ride control manufacturing plant in Cozad by the end of 2010, eliminating all of the plant’s 500 jobs. Tenneco has said it will work to ease the transition, yet many people will likely wonder where they’ll find work.
“As a result, I am requesting that the Council provide outreach and work with the individuals in Cozad and the communities touched by this decision in order to ease the transition as the plant moves toward closure,” Nelson wrote. “Furthermore, I believe the Council should use all of the authority at its disposal to identify developmental and employment opportunities for training and placing workers in new jobs.”
Nelson has previously said that the troubles faced by the American auto industry do not affect only the Big Three auto manufacturers and auto workers in Michigan; they are rippling across the country. The Omaha World-Herald has reported that an estimated 22,000 Nebraskans work in jobs related to auto manufacturing and sales. Thousands more work in auto financing or repair jobs.
As examples of the impact, this year Eaton Corporation laid off 15 employees at its Hastings plant and another 15 workers at its Kearney plant, which manufacture valves and gears for automakers. Also, Neapco eliminated 33 jobs at its Beatrice plant, which makes driveline and drive-train parts for trucks, cars and all-terrain vehicles and farm equipment.
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