Assistant to the USW International President Leann Foster and progressive talk show host Leslie Marshall last week discussed Kimberly-Clark, a paper company that recently announced its plan to use the windfall from the Republican tax bill to restructure and eliminate 5,500 jobs.
Kimberly Clark, which makes products like Kleenex tissues and Huggies diapers, intends to shutter 10 manufacturing facilities and layoff some 12 percent of its work force, including 500 USW members at the company’s Cold Springs plant in Neenah, Wisc.
“This is not a distressed company. This is not a distressed operation,” said Foster. “That plant just set record profits, and now the company takes a very callous move…to move the product somewhere else, using the tax breaks to fund the restructuring costs.”
The problem, Foster said, is that Republicans aren’t willing to hold multinational companies accountable for offshoring jobs. Without any repercussions, it’s no surprise that companies like Kimberly-Clark are moving their operations.
The union, however, is not giving up, Foster said.
“This is far from over as far as we’re concerned,” said Foster. “We’re scheduling a meeting with the company, and the Steelworkers are bargaining over the decision itself to move the facility.”
“We’re going to continue to fight, as the Steelworkers always do,” Foster said.
For the full interview, click below.
Supplemental Material:
Kimberly-Clark to use savings from tax cuts to pay for layoffs
Kimberly-Clark to cut up to 5,500 jobs, close 10 plants; no word on Wisconsin jobs