JAMESTOWN – U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer recently called Cummins Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger to ensure that its workforce at the Jamestown Engine Plant is maintained in light of news that the company would be cutting as many as 2,000 jobs worldwide.
Schumer urged the CEO to do all in his power to retain the profitable plant’s highly skilled and productive employees in Jamestown.
Following the call, Schumer said he is very confident the plant has a good future and is hopeful that Cummins will do everything possible to help Jamestown withstand the global cost-cutting measures.
“I spoke directly with Cummins Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger, and I feel very confident that Cummins remains deeply committed to its workforce in Jamestown and will strive to minimize the impact of its global cost-cutting on Western New York,” said Senator Schumer. “I conveyed to Mr. Linebarger that their Jamestown Engine Plant is productive and profitable, and that Cummins must do their best to shield JEP’s world-class workers from layoffs. And he agreed that the workers there are superb, and a critical part of the Jamestown economy.”
“Preserving these vital Chautauqua County jobs for Cummins’s world-class workforce is a top priority of mine, and I will continue to keep a close eye on this situation and stay in touch with the company and with local leaders so that we are doing all we can to help Cummins thrive in Jamestown for a long time to come,” Schumer continued.
Schumer explained the Jamestown Engine Plant currently employs around 1,700 people and is Chautauqua County’s largest private sector employer.
Schumer said any reduction in employees at the plant could have a major impact on the region’s tax base and larger economy.
Additionally, Schumer vowed to continue monitoring the situation to ensure local employment levels are protected. Cummins employs roughly 54,000 people worldwide.
The Jamestown facility itself is about 1 million sq. ft. and produces roughly 400 engines per day for semi-trucks, RV’s, trains, and tractors.
In 2015, John Deere announced that the Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant would be the site to produce the QSX15 engine, a heavy-duty tractor engine meant for large-scale farming equipment.
Schumer says this represented a significant investment in both Cummins and the Jamestown Engine Plant, which Schumer says widened the scope of manufacturing in Western New York.
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