CEREDO AUTO WORKERS DISCOVER THEY HAVE BEEN FIRED - New Workers Being Hired $8-$12 An Hour

(12/16/2008)
Last week, workers at American National Rubber in Ceredo were terminated.

Now, their plant is seeking applications for the same jobs.

On the same day the nearly 100 union and non-union workers were receiving termination notices, their jobs were posted in the classified ads for less pay, according to WSAZ-TV.

"I was devastated. I've been there 36 years. It's the only job I've ever had," said Richard Ruff.

Workers learned their jobs were posted in the classified ads for $8 to $12 an hour, while most of them made $12 to nearly $15 an hour.

American National Rubber, owned by the Maxwell family and based in Virginia, defaulted on its bank loans.

The bank foreclosed on the business and sold its assets last week.

Another company, D&B Industrial Group, bought the plant's old machinery and equipment and plans to rebuild and restore the plant.

"I hoped to retire from the plant," Ruff said. "I'm 55, and there's not a whole lot of working days left."