Confusion over Cookson
The job shifting, job loss or whatever one wants to call what's going on over at Cookson in Attleboro as well as its North facility, Leach & Garner, is generating lots of comment today at thesunchronicle.com.
And, rightly so, there's confusion over our page 1 story. Believe me, we are equally confused about the details.
Cookson has yet to detail exactly what it is doing. Apparently the powers that be at the British don't really make a separation when it comes to Attleboro and North .
In a nutshell, here's what we do know:
* Some jobs will be loss in Attleboro because they'll now be done at Cookson facilty, for less money, in the Dominican Republic.
* Some jobs will be moved from North Attleboro to Attleboro.
* Leach & Garner in North will close (a loss for North Attleboro, surely).
* Attleboro has given them an enormous taxbreak, closed a street, helped with the environmental cleanup over at the former Swank building, and now faces the loss of jobs.
Today, Attleboro reporter George Rhodes and North Attleboro reporter Amy DeMelia will hit the story again and try to make sense of it all. We can only hope that Cookson officials actually speak to the issue, rather than issue press releases and refer us to their Web site. Considering the significant tax break Attleboro taxpayers gave the firm, it's the least they owe us.
And, rightly so, there's confusion over our page 1 story. Believe me, we are equally confused about the details.
Cookson has yet to detail exactly what it is doing. Apparently the powers that be at the British don't really make a separation when it comes to Attleboro and North .
In a nutshell, here's what we do know:
* Some jobs will be loss in Attleboro because they'll now be done at Cookson facilty, for less money, in the Dominican Republic.
* Some jobs will be moved from North Attleboro to Attleboro.
* Leach & Garner in North will close (a loss for North Attleboro, surely).
* Attleboro has given them an enormous taxbreak, closed a street, helped with the environmental cleanup over at the former Swank building, and now faces the loss of jobs.
Today, Attleboro reporter George Rhodes and North Attleboro reporter Amy DeMelia will hit the story again and try to make sense of it all. We can only hope that Cookson officials actually speak to the issue, rather than issue press releases and refer us to their Web site. Considering the significant tax break Attleboro taxpayers gave the firm, it's the least they owe us.
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1 Comment
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Comment by Mike Murphy on April 22, 2008 at 2:29pm -
No slam at the Redevelopment Authority or the City, but to global corporations, tax breaks and special deals are just part of the total equation. They are not a major cost. Labor is. So Cookson moves jobs to low cost countries and receives government subisides for displaced workers (see legal ad in paper last week), lowers its total labor costs, and gets a kickback (facility and tax deal) for the few jobs left in Attleboro. It's like a bonus.
Also, from a citizen's perspective, a loss for North Attleboro is a loss for Attleboro as well. It's the economic vitality of the whole area that makes a difference.
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