TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Following the abrupt closure of Sumitomo Rubber USA, a tire manufacturing facility in Tonawanda, 1,200 hourly and 350 salaried employees will possibly be seeking employment in Western New York.
Employees at the company will be granted 60 days pay as a requirement of the New York State WARN Act. However, even with severance, employees will need to find a replacement for a steady stream of income.
We've already seen a show of support from local employers like the NFTA and Basil Cars, sharing the open position postings to those affected by the plant closure. Thee NFTA is already interviewing candidates from the plant, and will hold an open house at the downtown bus station on Nov. 13 from noon to 3 p.m.
It's something that Tonawanda town supervisor Joseph Emminger has also vowed to work on.
"We're going to do everything in our efforts to make sure that they get employed that they have well-paying jobs and they can stay in Western New York. We want to keep the people in Western New York," Emminger said.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz took to social media to announce "Workforce Buffalo will have a dedicated website up to assist the workers"
The New York State Department of Labor will also hold a job fair on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Williamsville Career Center, which is located at 4175 Transit Road.