Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The help they've been looking for

Several weeks back, Second Thoughts brought you a story about the closure of a Fremont-based Toyota plant (known around here as NUMMI) and the 24,000-odd workers it could effect, many of whom live in San Joaquin County.

Workers felt betrayed by both the company and by politicians who, they said, did far too little to help keep one of Northern California's bigger economic engines humming.

Today, federal Labor Department Secretary Hilda Solis shared a bit of good news for those middle-class workers looking for a little love, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

We say a bit, because while 4,500 workers directly employed at the NUMMI plant will qualify for federal Trade Adjustment Assistance, so far those other 20,000 workers that make up parts of the vast NUMMI supply chain — many of them Central Valley folks — are not eligible.

Better than nothing.

No comments: