MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With the closure process of the Viatris facility in Morgantown slated to begin Saturday, a leader with West Virginia University’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research says the planned action shows the importance of economic diversity.
Viatris, a company formed following the merger of Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer subsidiary Upjohn, will close the plant as part of an international business plan. Around 1,400 workers at the Morgantown facility will lose their jobs as a result of the action.
John Deskins, the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, said West Virginia has struggled with low labor participation rates and an image issue.
“We already had plenty of challenges to begin with,” he said. “We already had plenty of things we need to do to improve our economic prosperity, so this is a step in the wrong direction.”
Deskins added the state has to take steps to make the region more attractive to potential businesses, which will make West Virginia more resilient to economic changes.
“If this loss were to happen in some of the areas that are very small and very rural, it could take decades to recover,” he mentioned.
Mike Puskar and Don Panoz founded Mylan Pharmaceuticals in 1961, and the Morgantown facility opened four years later with a focus on manufacturing various supplements and generic medications.
Johanna Puskar, Mike Puskar’s father, said the corporation’s culture changed after her father stepped down in October 2009.
“The ones that knew my dad and worked for my dad, I feel really sorry for them because they have gone through Hell. They’ve been ripped off,” she said. “For the employees that did not work for my dad, I hope people tell them the stories about my dad.”
Lawmakers have petitioned federal officials about keeping the facility open. State legislatures approved resolutions during this year’s regular legislative session asking Gov. Jim Justice and congressional delegates to seek another operator or investor.