OHIO Workers in region lament effects of foreign competition

Wooster will be hit hard by the Rubbermaid plant closing.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- In the wake of several major shake-ups at Ohio businesses this week, a Steelworkers union leader says foreign companies that get subsidies from their governments make it hard for U.S. companies to compete.
"Foreign countries subsidize those industries [competing against U.S. companies]," said Chuck Shaffer, president of the United Steelworkers of America Local 302, which represents Rubbermaid employees. "Everybody's being affected."
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. announced Tuesday that it plans to halt production in Wooster and eliminate 850 jobs. Wooster was the birthplace 83 years ago of Rubbermaid, a company devoted to making household convenience products.
"Pressure is put on those companies by foreign competition that engage in what they call 'free trade,"' Shaffer said Wednesday. "The U.S. needs to engage in fair trading."
Shaffer wasn't the only one who said foreign competition contributed to the layoffs.
"They're all the same. When you can make more money someplace else, corporations aren't happy with making a little money," said 11-year Rubbermaid employee Rick Hall, 39, of Spencer. "One of these days soon, nobody's gonna be able to afford anything -- they're gonna have to have all the jobs moved out of the U.S."
Loss to community
Rubbermaid is Wooster's largest employer, and the city depends on $600,000 in payroll taxes paid annually by the company's employees.
Also, Rubbermaid has given the largest corporate gifts to the United Way of Wayne and Holmes counties, donating more than $1 million since 1998, said executive director Brenda Linnick.
On Tuesday there were major changes at two other northeast Ohio businesses that could lead to job cuts.
Yellow Corp.'s acquisition of Akron-based Roadway Corp. advanced Tuesday as shareholders of both trucking companies approved the cash-and-stock deal valued at $1.05 billion.
The combination will mean some job cuts, said Bill Zollars, chairman of Kansas-based Yellow.
OfficeMax shareholders overwhelmingly approved a merger with Boise Cascade Corp. The combined office products business will stay in the Chicago area and retail operations will remain based in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights.