Washington, DC
By: Matthew Campbell, CBS 3 Springfield
Published: August 19, 2010
The bomb was dropped on Callaway workers last week. In the next 18 months, more than half of their 450 person workforce will be slashed. For the first time, Chicopee mayor is releasing his plan of action to keep the jobs here.
“It’s devastating for the families. It’s devastating for the economics of our community, we can’t say it’s unexpected, I’ve been working with Callaway since I became mayor on this issue,” says Chicopee mayor Michael Bissonnette.
Bissonnette had pointed words for the golf ball manufacturer that’s ready to bolt.
“These companies just up and leave without giving concern to local workers or local economy,” he says.
From Callaway’s position, it was a no-brainer. They’ll shift to Mexico where jobs there, pay $2 an hour.
“There is no way that our workers in the US can compete with workers in China making $1 an hour and in Mexico making $2 a hour. We need a level playing field,” Bissonnette says.
In the 11th hour, Bissonnette is pulling out all the stops to equalize. Right now, he says the labor unions are in collective bargaining negotiations. While the unions work their angles, Bissonette is working his. The mayor enlisted the help of Congressman Richard Neal. They’re trying to hammer out a new type of taxation on locally made goods.
“We’re going to fight to the bitter end if it comes to that to keep some jobs here,” he says.
