Posted on 04/03/2011 7:49:07 AM PDT by massmike
Paul Hooper of Framingham found a good job at the Breyers factory on Old Connecticut Path 10 years ago, where he kept the ice cream production line supplied with fruit and nuts.
Norfolk resident Tom Abdou brought his electrician skills to the plant, while Franklin's Marie Ouellette enjoyed her spot on the production line.
All three became part of a large team of close-knit employees who churned out as many as 1 million gallons of ice cream a day.
But workers had to say their goodbyes this week when the production plant, which opened as a Sealtest factory in 1964, closed after 47 years. Nearly two years ago Breyers' parent company, Unilever, notified staff and the public of the planned shutdown. Unilever said it could make ice cream more cheaply elsewhere.
"It's kind of a bittersweet ending," Abdou said Wednesday. "It's like anything else: You know it's coming and then it hits you."
Yesterday was supposed to be the last day for the bulk of the plant's 174 workers.
They were instead sent home with their last paychecks a day early.
(Excerpt) Read more at metrowestdailynews.com ...
Thanks for the comment.
It is tough...I get a lot of comments on this forum, things like “I hope all you Massholes die, and your state rots and falls off of the earth”, that kind of thing. It bothers me, because there are more conservatives that you would think up here, though we end up communicating with secret handshakes and the like lest the secret police catch on to our thought crimes...:)
I used to say the same kind of things about California, how I hoped it would slide off into the ocean in “The Big One” and such, but...that was a classic case of wearing your faults on your back. I don’t do that anymore, because I know there are a lot of good, steady conservatives from that state.
I love this area. It is beautiful, just beautiful. It breaks my heart to see the liberal politics finally having the kinds of destructive effects we all know it will have.
I hope I live long enough to see the pendulum swing the other way. One can always hope.
sent home a day early to avoid mischief
Exactly. Smart business move.
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Yes it is and especially since they gave them all their money.
When I was Supt or Foreman of medium to large Asphalt Companies I used to get ticked when you would fire someone they would make them wait until the regular payday to give them their money.
I did understand it was mostly to make sure someone in ‘need’ of a couple of bucks wouldn’t commit a ‘fireable’ offense etc but I looked at it as if you made the guy wait a couple of weeks for his money, he just has time to ‘stew’ will end up visiting the offices etc then come in with an attitude on pay day.
I figured, fire them, pay them off and for the most part you were done with them as they would ‘move on’.
Oh, well -- it looks like Massachusetts' loss is Tennessee's gain.
It might be the way the regulations on the treatment of waste water are written, how “waste water” is defined and how a company might have to pay for that. Another state might not treat the waste water the same way, where in Massachusetts, they might require it all be treated as sewage.
Just guessing, I don’t really know.
rlmorel:
Additionally, Framingham has been turning into a third-world pit for the past twenty years, and that transition is nearly complete. You would never walk through the downtown at night now, and driving through it is unnerving. Streetlights out, bars on windows, hookers, dingy buildings and trash on the streets, one of those places. It used to be a nice middle-class town, safe and clean.
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Sounds like Benton Harbor, sister city to St. Joseph ... Benton Harbor was disaster in 1978 when I had opportunity to be through there a number of times ... so sad, a couple decades before it was a lovely little lake-side town ...
I hate liberalism. I hate it from the roots of my being. I feel that nearly every major problem we face as a country (and Massachusetts as a state) has its roots in many of those types of policies.
Damn it all.
AND, in this case, they were closing down the plant so every last employee was losing his/her livelihood. That would leave LOTS of room for mayhem. Not that this particular group of employees would necessarily act out, but better safe than sorry. The equipment and other property is still valuable.
I once worked for a federal govt agency that was vacating its downtown location after close of business on Friday, moving into a new building when we reopened on Monday. In fairness, the building was going to be demolished, but, omg, how everyone totally trashed in a celebratory fashion what was there! I doubt they’d have done it if new tenants were moving in ... but in any case, as an employer or business owner, I’d want them out sooner rather than later. Then close the facility.
In this case, I think Unilever handled the entire transaction very well. Lots of notice about the closing, then pay them, and close it out a day before expected. I do wonder, tho, where they can produce more cheaply? Are those jobs and the ice cream production going overseas? I don’t want my ice cream from China!
I don’t know how different it is elsewhere, but here, your sewer charges are calculated directly by how much water you use. You take 10 gallons of fresh water from the state, they charge for 10 gallons of raw sewage.
Might be the same everywhere else...anyone comment on that?
You asked: “Where would this ‘elsewhere’ be for the production of ice cream?”
and I’m guessing: China or maybe Mexico, if they can get away with it. Just like me to think the worst...
And I love Breyers ice cream and their new yo-yogurt. Now I’m not sure I want to buy it any more. Though since I just started a diet, I won’t be buying any ice cream for a while, if ever again... My hunger is bring out the worst of me. . .
Why would they need a better quality water just for cleaning?
I will say this. Soft Drinks with real sugar tastes better in Harriman, Tn than anywhere I’ve ever been. Of course they DO use water as an ingredient.
Wow ... took a Google drive down Business Loop I-94 thru Benton Harbor ... many empty lots now on that route now, some new or renovated buildings/structures ... not like I remember it at all in ‘78 - ‘79
Never forget that our media,(print and broadcast) are unionized.
We don’t need no stinkin capitalist pig ... Greedy. Selfish. Did I say Pigs? Right, Deval?
Besides, ice cream is bad bad for you. Right, Michelle?
Absolutely and...we just got it here in Colorado and it is selling like hot cakes!!!
Are those jobs and the ice cream production going overseas? I dont want my ice cream from China
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I think the article said to a new facility in Covington TN..
Notice - business friendly and Right to Work state.
I get(got) a kick out of the ‘Southern Mills’ raising hell when the clothing manufacturers moved to Taiwan, Bangladesh or wherever. They seem to ‘forget’ that back in the early/mid 1900’s those plants were located along the rivers etc of New England...where the ‘unions’ found them and organized...
Rest is history...
They’ll now be making my favorite flavors in my favorite state,Tennessee. We have no state income tax,cheap power,
workers with a decent education and a business friendly
state govt.
Dittos!! And let that be a lesson to other states....
Tennessee is a great place to live and work....
I lived near Philadelphia for a few years but didn’t hate the State because of the liberals - I live near Houston and don’t hate Texas because of those stupid liberals - hang in there- we need conservatives to stay in those liberal areas just in case, someone, somehow, gets smart and sees the truth! Folks like you are the only way we would EVER hear about anything remotely conservative in Mass.!
“I tried Breyer’s ice cream once.
First and last time.”
For all of us fortunate to live in Publix Supermarket served areas, the results of a Miami Herald ice cream test will be of interest. The chefs invited to a blind test of vanilla ice cream overwhelmingly chose Public Natural Vanilla Bean over all the “premium” brands.
The Otter Paws is also superb. Rather addictive though.
Yum, yum.
Leni
Breyers vanilla is the best vanilla you can buy at the store - and cheaper than the $5 cone at Marble Slab.
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