Charleroi glass plant closing paused by court action
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
A federal district court granted state Attorney General Michele Henry’s motion for a temporary restraining order to pause the closing of the World Kitchen plant in Charleroi.
The federal court’s ruling prevents Anchor Hocking Holdings and its private equity partner, Centre Lane Partners, from removing equipment and other materials from the Charleroi plant in relocation efforts before a hearing on the preliminary injunction, scheduled for Nov. 12.
“I’m excited,” said Charleroi Council President Kristin Hopkins-Kalcek Monday. “I think this is what we need, to buy time. I’m happy that the attorney general has taken action against the activities that have taken place between the private equity companies and Anchor Hocking. This is a step in the right direction, and it buys us time.”
Corelle Brands LLC sent a letter to Charleroi Mayor Gregg Doerfler that set a permanent closing date for Feb. 28, with the first employee terminations scheduled for Dec. 9.
When contacted Monday, Danielle Byrne, vice president of United Steelworkers 53G, which represents workers at the plant, said she had no comment.
Workers were told in September that plant operations would be moved to an Anchor Hocking plant in Lancaster, Ohio, putting more than 300 employees out of work.
The court agreed with the attorney general that at this stage in the case, “immediate and irreparable injury will result” from such actions, according to an order issued Oct. 31.
“The closure of this longtime manufacturing hub will have permanent impact on the Charleroi community and surrounding neighborhoods, which depend on the plant for employment that is vital to the local economy and prosperity of families living there,” Henry said. “My office intervened in plans to close what is the only large-scale manufacturing operation in that area, and we are very pleased that the federal district court agreed with our position.”