Efforts underway to save Charleroi plant
The company announced last week that it plans to shut down the facility by the end of the year.
It’s not over until it’s over.
Last week, Anchor Hocking — the current maker of Corelle, Pyrex and CorningWare — announced the impending closure of its Charleroi plant.
The news sent shock waves throughout the community, but it also ignited a spark and it appears local officials and workers don’t plan to go down without a fight.
Charleroi Councilman Larry Celaschi, who serves on the borough’s community planning committee, talked about the potential closure at Wednesday’s meeting.
“The only thing I have is a very brief update on the loss of 100 jobs in the borough of Charleroi at Quality Pasta and the potential of losing 325 more jobs at Anchor Hocking,” Celaschi said. “Corning, Pyrex, Corelle, so many names you can call it, but I am going to stick with Corning because that is all I know.”
Celaschi said a lot of time has been spent over the past week trying to find a solution that doesn’t result in closure.
After hearing about the planned shutdown last week, numerous people got to work to see what could be done.
Celaschi got involved as an individual and elected official, but he’s not representing borough council as a whole when he speaks on the matter.
“I can tell you that there is an exuberant amount of time being put into doing whatever is possible to save that plant and to save the jobs,” he said. “There is a ton of history there. Everyone has probably been a part of that history. But we can’t worry about the history at this point, history is behind us. We have to worry about the future.”
Celaschi said up to 10 hours were spent Tuesday addressing the potential closure, from phone calls to strategic meetings.
“Today, (Wednesday), I have got seven hours put into it,” he added. “As soon as I am done here, if I have time to get a piece of pizza I would like to do it, but I don’t think that is going to happen because there is a meeting taking place from 5 to 8 p.m. I’d like to get an update.
“Everybody under the sun has been contacted of who is who in this business and the political world. We have seen some movement. Any movement is positive movement. Until this horse is dead, CHARLEROI PLANT •A2
“We have seen some movement. Any movement is positive movement. Until this horse is dead, which it is not.”
LARRY CELASCHI
CHARLEROI COUNCILMAN which it is not.
“We have every opportunity to do what we can — from our side, their side, everyone’s side — to try to come out of this with a good story behind it.”
Council President Kristin Hopkins-Calcek also spoke briefly about the potential closure.
She attended a meeting Tuesday with borough manager Joe Manning and a rapid response team to discuss how to move forward.
Hopkins-Calcek said she has reached out to U.S. Sen. John Fetterman’s office, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s office and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office.
She’s also working with the Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Mon Valley Alliance.
“We are trying to be proactive and figure out a plan from here,” she said.
Daniele Byrne, vice president of Corelle Brands Charleroi Division of United Steelworkers Local 53G, who has worked at the plant for 35 years, said Wednesday was the monthly meeting for the local union.
It wasn’t held specifically to address anything related to the potential closure.
Byrne said morale has dropped after last week’s announcement.
“A lot of people are doing what they can. We are fighting with every ounce of our being,” she said. “It sucks, work and everyone’s mood has been horrible.”
Celaschi told the Mon Valley Independent on Thursday he was not at liberty to disclose who has been directly involved in discussions because the situation continues to progress and evolve.
“We are not resting on our laurels,” he said. “No one is.”
Byrne said while much of the ongoing situation can’t be discussed, they are not leaving any stone unturned.
“We have called everyone we can,” she said.
Byrne said meetings with plant management, union workers and an international union representative are scheduled to take place today, Monday and Tuesday.
Potential outcomes and details surrounding discussions have not been disclosed.
“Everyone is doing what they can, we’re doing our best, for me personally I am not giving up until the fat lady sings,” she said. “We are giving it our all.”
Last week, Anchor Hocking — the current maker of Corelle, Pyrex and CorningWare — announced the impending closure of its Charleroi plant.
CEO Mark Eichhorn informed more than 300 employees at the facility that the plant would close by the end of this year.
According to Eichhorn, about 50% of the jobs are intended to be relocated to the company’s Lancaster, Ohio, facility, but that still means a loss of nearly 200 well-paying union jobs in the Mon Valley.
Employees at the plant say they were told production will be shut down because officials do not want to keep two facilities open.
The first press at the plant is scheduled to be dismantled next week, with the other three presses to be dismantled before the end of the year.
Quality Pasta Company, a facility near the plant, shut down last week in an unrelated closure that resulted in the loss of 100 jobs.
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