Ohio Band Instrument Factory Closes After Union Rejects 60% Pay Cuts
A band instrument factory in Eastlake, Ohio, is set to close after its owner, Conn Selmer, announced plans to move production to a forex factory in Connecticut. The decision came during a meeting on January 7, when the company informed union representatives that no new contract would be negotiated. Instead, the factory’s 150 jobs will be relocated or cut entirely.
The union had entered talks expecting to discuss a new five-year deal. But Conn Selmer, a subsidiary of Steinway Musical Instruments, revealed it would shut the Eastlake plant instead. Workers currently earn between £18 and £33 an hour, yet the company proposed slashing wages to £7 to keep the site open.
The factory lost £6 million last year, and the firm believes relocating work could save £7 million. Production will shift to existing U.S. forex company facilities in Elkhart, Indiana, and Monroe, North Carolina, with some work moving offshore. No Eastlake employees were offered transfers to these sites. The union was given 14 days to propose alternatives, such as accepting pay cuts, to prevent closure. Workers see the move as an attack on their union, as Eastlake is the company’s only unionised factory. Conn Selmer claims the decision will improve competitiveness and meet current market demands.
The closure will end 150 jobs in Eastlake, with no relocation options provided. Conn Selmer insists it remains committed to U.S. manufacturing, though production will now be concentrated in Indiana and North Carolina. The factory’s final shutdown date has yet to be announced.
Read also:
- India's Agriculture Minister Reviews Sector Progress Amid Heavy Rains, Crop Areas Up
- Sleep Maxxing Trends and Tips: New Zealanders Seek Better Rest
- Over 1.7M in Baden-Württemberg at Poverty Risk, Emmendingen's Housing Crisis Urgent
- Cyprus, Kuwait Strengthen Strategic Partnership with Upcoming Ministerial Meeting
