Union leaders say almost 600 furloughed employees at the Remington Arms plant in Herkimer County, New York were told that they would be terminated effective Monday.
The Remington Outdoor Company entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy this summer and the plant in the village of Ilion is not in production. The United Mine Workers of America said 585 workers were told Friday of the termination, and that their health care and other contractual benefits will end this weekend.
“This outrageous action by Remington Outdoor company is a slap in the face to the employees who built that company into the best firearms manufacturer in the world," said UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts in a statement. "UMWA Local Union 717 has already filed a series of grievances under our collective bargaining agreement, and the UMWA International Union is exploring further legal action. If they think they can get away with this without a fight from the UMWA they had better think again. Our members in Local Union 717 earned those benefits. We are going to do everything we can to ensure that they get them, and then continue working to get the plant reopened under new ownership as soon as possible.”
A call seeking comment was made to the Madison, North Carolina-based company.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
