Oscar Mayer’s Madison headquarters and factory will close down, consequently laying off 1,000 workers, but city and state officials said they will offer assistance to former workers.
The company will move its headquarters to Chicago in an effort to consolidate their production. Officials said some corporate workers may be able to follow their jobs, but factory workers will be less fortunate and will have to be retrained to work elsewhere.
In a press release, Mayor Paul Soglin said he lamented the closure, and that the city is committed to helping place factory workers into other jobs using resources available through the State Department of Workforce Development.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, mirrored Soglin’s sentiments and said the the city will employ the resources available at the county, state and federal level. He said the factory had long been a staple of Madison.
“It will be sad that we won’t be seeing the Wienermobile around campus, but more seriously this will affect a lot of people and their families,” Verveer said.
State legislators also gave their condolences and support to the families as the plant begins the process of shutting down.
Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, said in a statement she would “do everything [she] can to get workers the information and resources they need.”
Verveer said Madison has always enjoyed a low unemployment rate and would be able to absorb the layoffs better than most other municipalities.
