HUNDREDS MORE OUT OF WORK IN THE 8TH DISTRICT
Robin Hayes' Free Trade Betrayal Continues Toll on NC Families

Thursday, June 8, 2006

BISCOE , N.C. – Larry Kissell, 27 year veteran of the local textile industry and Democratic candidate for Congress in North Carolina's 8th district, responded today to the latest plant closing in his home county of Montgomery .

"As a 27 year textile veteran that's seen the layoffs and plant closings, I've been there and my heart goes out to the families affected," said Kissell.

Mastercraft Fabrics, an affiliate of Norwood Yarn, was the latest plant closing affecting over 60 textile employees in Troy, NC last week. The company had closed its Norwood facility in Stanly County just last month unemploying another 100 workers. Mt. Gilead's McRae Footwear as well saw 80 workers laid off last month.

"We lost 800 jobs in Montgomery County when Renfro [Kissell's former employer] closed and went south of the border. Robin Hayes said he was 'flat-out, horizontally opposed' to the Central America Free Trade Agreement after seeing thousands laid-off by Pillowtex -- then he goes and votes for it when the President asks him to. We've all given Hayes the chance to do the right thing and instead he has stood with President Bush rather than the people of our district. That is why I'm running for Congress."

Montgomery Economic Development Director Judy Stevens blamed the latest plant closing on the effects of foreign trade. Stevens told the Montgomery Herald "[Globalization] continues to have a devastating effect on the more rural areas such as ours."

The Black & Decker plant outside Fayetteville that employed 675 people at one time announced this week it's moving up plans to close this year. Several of those jobs have already been sent to a plant in Reynosa, Mexico.

"It's no longer just textiles in our district being devastated by the Washington politicians. We see it from Kannapolis all the way to Fayetteville. If we don't take a stand now, there won't be any manufacturing jobs left at all. It is time for Robin Hayes to realize that what he has done is a firing offense," said Kissell.