Posted on 08/24/2014 3:35:29 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
ILION — Herkimer County officials vowed to help affected Remington Arms employees Monday afternoon as news spread the gun manufacturer will layoff more than 100 of its employees by the end of the week.
Herkimer County Legislature Chairman Vincent Bono said he learned about the 105 layoffs through county Administrator James Wallace and then from Karin Zipko of Herkimer County Working Solutions.
“We're gearing up our programs that are offered, including retraining and job searches,” said Bono, R-Schuyler, during a telephone interview Monday. “It's unclear whether some will be called back. That's unknown.”
“It's unfortunate,” added Bono about the layoffs, which will be effective Friday.
Assemblyman Marc Butler, R-Newport, said he spoke with Remington officials earlier in the day about the impending layoffs.
“The latest announcement from Remington Arms, although not unexpected, is still deeply disappointing for our community,” said Butler in a statement on Monday. “This is more than 100 of our friends, neighbors and relatives whose families now face an uncertain future. Our thoughts are with them.”
In May, it was announced Remington Arms would be restructuring and that it would affect the Ilion facility.
“Remington told us a few months ago they would be making changes in their workforce for a variety of reasons,” said Butler during a telephone interview Monday. “They're attributing this to general business conditions. I continue to believe that one of the lines is the Bushmaster line, which is one of the lines affected under the provisions of [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo's SAFE Act.”
The New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013, commonly known as the SAFE Act, is a gun control law, passed in the state Legislature in January 2013, in response to the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting massacre about a month earlier. One of the provisions, according to Butler, is that it makes it illegal to sell Bushmasters in the state, which is one of Remington's production lines.
Also, in February, Remington announced it would build a new facility in Alabama, where there are more lenient gun laws. The new facility is expected to employ up to 2,000 people.
A Remington Arms official couldn't be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
“I believe it's our task to reorganize ourselves, to get together and do what we can to ensure their presence here,” said Butler. “There's a lot of pessimism and negativity about Remington's future here. I'm not ready to throw in the towel. They recognize they have an excellent workforce here and that this is their home. This is a major disappointment, but this isn't the end of the story. We need to work together on a local, state and federal level.”
“My first emotion is deep sadness for the community, especially the affected employees who are hardworking, upstanding citizens,” said Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, in a news release. “Remington Arms has been an anchor in this community for nearly 200 years. New York is home to Remington and Remington's families. I will work hard with anyone to help those affected and Remington through this difficult process. My office doors are always open.”
Tenney, like Butler, blamed the move on the SAFE Act.
“We cannot forget what has pushed Remington to this point — the so-called SAFE Act, and the horrendous business climate in New York. Ill-conceived anti-firearms policies shoved through without due consideration like Cuomo's SAFE Act cost jobs. The SAFE Act should be repealed before it does any more damage to our businesses, communities and freedoms,” she said.
Tenney said in a news release she is the sponsor of legislation in the Assembly to fully repeal the SAFE Act.
“The Empire State was built by the men and women like those who lost their jobs today and the politicians in Albany are too busy worrying about their own jobs to care about those of Remington families,” she said. “It makes me angry that this day has come.”
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