Beech Tree News Network

Last Wednesday afternoon. January 18, more than 25 Aleris employees were informed they would no longer have jobs with the company.  According to some of those individuals, they were told they were being laid off and that their medical insurance would run out at midnight that night.

Two of those employees who lost their jobs spoke to Beech Tree News on the condition of anonymity.  According to one source, the employees to be laid off were gathered for a meeting and told they were no longer needed. Specific details about the layoff were not immediately provided to the employees other than business was slow.  

One former employee said, "I felt like there was a layoff coming since we have been real slow and there was a lack of material, but I never thought that it would happen to me."

Another former employee said, "They told us that we shouln't pass up another job opportunity if we found one. I don't intend to sit around here waiting for them to call me back."

Based on the information provided to BTN by one source, the plant manager and a representative from the human resources office were present during the meeting and told the workers that there was no time frame to rehire any of the workers in the near future.

Butler County Judge-Executive David Fields weighed in on the matter saying, "I hate to see anything like that happen to the people of Butler County. I thought they had been doing really well with all the additions, refurbishing, putting in equipment, and those types of things that they were doing out there." Fields added, "Aleris has been one of our long-time employers, a lot of people have worked there, and it's one of our facilities that hire people. I hate to see anything happen."

Numerous calls were made to Aleris on Monday and messages left seeking additional information and to provide the company an opportunity to comment on this story.  Those calls had not been returned at the posting of this story.  Updates will be posted if more details become available.