Loyalty of Hoover Employees Lost on Company

Jack Landskroner

Contributor

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When clients and their families call my office seeking representation after a catastrophic workplace injury, whether it be a head injury or even a wrongful death claim, the call is often predicated with the statement: " we are not the type of family that sues." I am always puzzled by this predicate statement because in essence it suggests the clients are the type of people to let someone else walk all over their rights.

The stigma associated with bringing a lawsuit to enforce the law or protect ones rights is a creation of big business and the insurance industry. Ironically, big business and insurance companies have no hesitation in hiring high priced lawyers at astronomical hourly rates to sue to enforce their rights. In the end, the average person in many instances lets the powerful take advantage of them foregoing their day in court and the opportunity to hold the wealthy wrongdoer accountable for harmful conduct.

I suppose the hope is that the company will do the right thing and take responsibility for and care of their injured workers that have given their lives to the company. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. As an example, this week Hoover Company, recently purchased by Techtronic's, made an announcement that it will consolidate most Stark County operations to plants in Mexico and Texas. The North Canton factory operations will be phased out no later than September.

While there are about 1,000 Hoover jobs now in North Canton, the final number will be between 150 and 175 in Stark County, the company said. Some jobs will be shifted to Glenwillow in Cuyahoga County, the new Northeast Ohio headquarters for Techtronic's floor-care division. A small work force will remain behind at the Jackson Township distribution center and the bag plant in Canton.

Years of loyalty of Hoover employees and their families to this company has produced no loyalty of the company to the employees.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said in a statement that he is disappointed with TTI's decision and concerned for the North Canton community.``I have had numerous discussions with TTI, union leaders and the governor's office, and we had hoped to retain the jobs in North Canton,'' Brown said.