Senator Mikulski sends plea to Labinal executives to keep MD jobs

Lawmakers are weighing in, trying to save jobs in Salisbury. On Thursday, US Senator Barbara Mikulski asked Safran North America President and CEO Peter Lengyel to rescind the decision to close the Labinal’s Salisbury plant.

The sentator said in a letter to the executive, “I want families who rely on Labinal for their paychecks and economic security to know that I’m on their side.”

This comes after Labinal Power Systems started notifying workers Wednesday morning that the Salisbury plant will be closing and resources will be transferred to the plant in Denten, Texas over the next two years.

The full length letter can be seen below:

Dear Mr. Lengyel:

I am very distressed and surprised by the news of the closure of the Labinal facility in Salisbury, Maryland.  I urge you to rescind this decision.

This news came as a complete surprise to me, the employees, and the Salisbury community.  Your decision to close the Salisbury plant will cause great economic and emotional strain to the skilled workforce and the community.  It is reported that as many as 500 workers could lose their jobs. Households with multiple family members working at Labinal will be particularly hard hit by the layoffs.

As a strong supporter of the work done at the Labinal facility, I have fought tirelessly each year to ensure that federal funds were made available for the procurement of Chinook Helicopters so Labinal had the resources needed to do its job.  Most recently, while serving as the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee during the last Congress, I secured $994 million to procure 32 Chinooks.

What can we do to get you to rescind this decision? I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator