F.L. Smithe Machine Co. loses 25 jobs in past couple weeks
By Amanda Clegg, aclegg@altoonamirror.comA union representative is hoping layoffs at a local company are temporary.
F.L. Smithe Machine Co. on Old Route 220 laid off about 25 union members in the last two to three weeks, said Robert Miller, Pennsylvania's business representative for the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers.
Local Lodge 2348 President Harry Zeznanski said the layoffs will not stop at 25.
Miller said the layoffs were the result of a lack of work, because of the poor economy.
He said the union is hoping members eventually will get called back to work, and the company has given no indication that the plant is looking to close its doors.
A person who answered the phone after 5 p.m. at the company's plant said no one who could speak on the matter was available.
F.L. Smithe Machine Co. designs and manufactures envelope-making machines, according to its Web site at www .flsmithe.com.
The machine company is not the only local business to make cuts recently.
A business slump at Lumax left 40 employees jobless in September.
The privately owned and operated company at Chestnut Avenue and Fourth Street manufactures commercial, industrial and institutional lighting products and employed about 80 people.
A company executive said in a previous interview that the layoffs hopefully were temporary and that the owners had no intention of shutting down the business.
Miller said union members have recall rights and, if called back, would return to work in order of seniority.
Zeznanski said the products made at F.L. Smithe Machine Co. are expensive, and with the economic slump, sales are down.
''With the money crunch, nobody is putting money out there,'' he said. ''Hopefully we can turn this around.''
Mirror Staff Writer Amanda Clegg is at 949-7030.
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Aces20
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10-10-08 9:43 PM
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guttertroll... considering that the average annual wage in Blair county is somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000, and given this county's economic rank in PA, as well as PA's economic ranking vs. the other states, I seriously don't think there are too many people in this county that Obama's $250,000 proposal are going to affect.
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56F100
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10-10-08 5:46 PM
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WOW a layoff at a union run industry, hard to believe, but you Pennsylvanians just keep on voting for dems who because of their anti "Big Business" policys, osha regs, epa regs, the list goes on & on, have taken American Industry to where we cannot compete in a global market. Think about it. Obama wants to take care of "hard working Americans" by taxing the so-called wealthy, big oil, big companys. Last time I checked, the big companys in this country do most of the hiring. If Obama really wants to help middle America he woul help companys create jobs. What a concept. As a former railroader from your area I have seen what the dems have done to Pa, but you all just keep being a blue state & you will get what you deserve.
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ferndawg44
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10-10-08 4:08 PM
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Hear yeh, Hear yeh, President Bush can scrub my crotch for minimum wage.. Why are we still talking about the biggest failure in modern History. He's nothing more than a spoiled rotten little kid that Mommy and Daddy have taken care of since he was born. I hope we never talk about Bush again. Let it go. He's far and away the worst there ever was and only history knows if he'll be the worst ever...
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santeejohnny
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10-10-08 3:43 PM
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why not do what dana perino said yesterday, "go get a job". Thats bushs plan to get out of this recession.
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ferndawg44
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10-10-08 1:43 PM
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I know several friends working for F.L. Smith and I hope that the economy turns around. It's tough to watch people who give there heart and sole to a company have the employer simply pull the rug out from under them. Good Luck Bob, Randy, and Joel. I hope we can get this thing up and running again.
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mammamia
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10-10-08 9:58 AM
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And, gutter's retirement. ciao
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mammamia
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10-10-08 9:42 AM
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Have a good day folks. Gotta go support the welfare recipients.
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mammamia
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10-10-08 9:32 AM
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The libor rates are going down and this should open up the credit markets but I don't think this is going to help. People are getting out of the market and staying out for some period of time. Wishing the best for the folks at Smithe who have been laid off.
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MrMxyzptlk
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10-10-08 8:20 AM
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In my 5th dimension we had killed all the politicians and everyone is employed, and has to work at some job. If not they too eventually die.
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Aces20
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10-10-08 8:12 AM
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Don't worry. Shuster will talk to the Blair Chamber and Joe Herd, as well as 2 Fortune 500 company CEO's and they'll tell him to get some of that BAIL OUT BILL money in order to have a local contractor build some shopping plazas on Pleasant Valley Blvd. and then lure some retail stores to Blair county to replace those lost jobs. Meanwhile, everyone can continue to just live on credit as the government prints more money.
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livinginBEDROCK
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10-10-08 7:49 AM
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The political class doesn't want to say the word "recession", but many business sectors have been in a recession for over a year and now the word they don't want to utter is "depression". We are circling the drain folks, dig up your lawn and plant a garden, get some chickens, chop some wood, its going to be a bad one.
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MeerReedr
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10-10-08 7:22 AM
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My neighbor works there and he's been through it many times. I wouldn't exactly say this company is poorly managed, after all they've been in business a very long time. So they must be doing something right (at least for the owners and management!). It's probably more the nature of the business they're in and the present economic situation. Manufacturers and retailers are usually the first to get hit when the economy takes a dump.
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LisaLill
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10-10-08 6:41 AM
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This company lays people off all the time. They eventually call them back, but it could be upwards of a year! I don't know why this is a media interest now, when it has happened before. I do not know how big the layoffs have been before though. Maybe that's the case, but I doubt it. This company is very poorly managed in my opinion. Combine that with the downward spiraling economy and I wouldn't be surprised if they did lock their doors soon.
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