The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) recently issued a statement supporting workers at the soon-to-be-closed Derby, N.Y., plant operated by New Era, Buffalo, N.Y.
New Era reached an agreement with plant workers on comprehensive severance benefits ahead of the plant’s new scheduled closure in June. The plant originally was scheduled to close on March 29, but was delayed due to a labor-law technicality.
The plant’s shutdown would leave more than 200 workers unemployed as the company moves MLB hat production production to Miami and other cap production to other countries. MLB’s agreement requires New Era to make all the headwear worn by players during games in the United States, according to the association.
The MLBPA’s statement reads, “The Major League Baseball Players Association stands in solidarity with the more than 200 women and men at the New Era plant in Derby, N.Y., who have made the official on-field caps our players have worn with pride for decades, but who will now lose their jobs as the company shutters the facility and turns the work over to a non-union manufacturer.
“The MLBPA urges New Era to reconsider its decision, which will cause economic harm not just to the dedicated workers who manufacture the caps and to their families, but also to the town of Derby, which has supported the company for nearly 60 years.
“It has always been a source of great pride for players to wear the highest-quality, union-made caps produced by the New Era workers in Derby.”
New Era, according to the Associated Press, made the decision to close the plant to “more closely align its business model with its competitors in the global sports, lifestyle and apparel industry,” also noting it was among the last companies in the industry to own its plants.
In the severance agreement, unionized workers will receive one week of salary for every year of service, up to 26 weeks. New Era also will keep making its contribution toward employees’ health insurance premiums for five months after the plant closes. — D.S.
