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SUNBEAM CLOSURE – EMPLOYEES IN SHOCK
By Grace Beauchamp
Tribune Staff Writer
[Welland Tribune, 16 August 1989]
Port Colborne-The mood is quiet and people are still in shock after the announcement Monday that Sunbeam Shies will close, an employee says.
“It came as a complete shock,” Lawrence Bertin, an employee of 15 years, said, “It hurts –I just bought a house.”
Bertin said rumors have been circulating among employees for a number of years, but “it gets to the point where you disregard them.”
Although Bertin has made no plans of yet, he says he’ll probably have to go out of town to find work.
The reason for the closing, he said, was “They told us there was too much debt.”
Employees were informed of the closing at about 1.30 p.m. Monday afternoon.
“They want us to stay on and finish the orders,” he said, adding that the company will be settling up a $200,000 fund for those workers who stay until the end.
He added,” But if you leave before the end you won’t get anything.”
Bertin who works in shipping, expects work to be completed by the end of October and says he’ll probably stay until the end.
Jim Leveille, who has worked at the plant for five years, said, “I knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of time.”
“I’m shocked –what else can you be,” he said. “We knew it was slow, but we really didn’t think this was going to happen.”
Neither of the employees have their licences, making the circumstances more difficult.
Leveille added, “If you get a job out of town, you have to move.”
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