MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The United Steel Workers Union has partnered with the West Virginia Junior College to hold an education fair for Mylan workers on Wednesday.
On MetroNews affiliate WAJR’s Talk of the Town, United Steelworkers Local 8-957 president Joe Gouzd said 855 workers will lose jobs when the plant closes on July 31.
The event is themed “Know Your Options” and will be organized into nine stations with information about nursing, cybersecurity, medical coding, pharmacy technicians, business, and scholarship opportunities.
“Our workshop is going to start tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 7:30 a.m. and run through the hour of 6 p.m. at the Morgantown Marriot at Waterfront Place,” Gouzd said.
The Mylan facility has operated in Morgantown since the late 1960s. The workers that will be cut loose are electricians, electronic technicians and pill press operators. Officials say some of the lowest earners are making about $65,000 per year.
“Information technology classes and medical coding classes,” Gouzd said. “Any type of educational, perhaps even some vocational situations that will enhance our members.”
The workers are racing the July 31 projected shutdown to preserve homes, keep children in school and their standard of living. Local businesses, churches and organizations are hoping the workers can make the transition and remain as contributors in the Morgantown community.
“Now transition them or attempt to transition them into education or vocation of a new sort is going to be quite challenging,” Gouzd said.
According to Gouzd, a similar event held for workers in the Uniontown area drew about 225 people over two days. For the Morgantown event, Gouzd recommends a positive attitude.
“Bring themselves, bring an open mind and bring a good attitude,” Gouzd said,” And I’m sure West Virginia Junior College is going to provide the necessary tools that we’re looking for to try to transition our people to a new sector of the workforce.”
Gouzd said the workers are skilled and have a long productive employment history and can be an asset to local businesses and organizations.
“We have 855 skilled workers ready to take on whatever task is in front of them with an open mind and ambition,” Gouzd said.
Gouzd acknowledged efforts to repurpose the facility continue, but no organization has made a commitment to keep the facility open.