Professional news ...

* Good news: I have two on-site job interviews next week and a phone interview to boot.
* I copied the following article from the local newspaper. This is the plant where I was laid off last August.

First production line moves from Hobbs to Mexico
By CHRIS DETTRO THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Jun 30, 2010 @ 11:30 PM

One production line from Springfield’s Honeywell Hobbs plant already has been moved to Juarez, Mexico. Parent company Honeywell International Corp. announced last fall that it intends to move production from a plant in Spring Valley and the Springfield operation at 1034 E. Ash St. to Mexico. The Springfield plant is expected to be completely shut down in early 2011, said company spokesman Mark Hamel.

The Illinois plants produce electronic components, such as controls, switches, lighting systems, battery indicators and meters, for the transportation industry. About 120 people were employed at Springfield and 65 at Spring Valley at the time of last fall’s announcement.
“The transition is proceeding on schedule,” Hamel said Wednesday from Honeywell headquarters in Morris Town, N.J. Hamel said only one layoff has occurred as a result of the first line relocation. “Obviously, there are a lot to come,” he said.

Honeywell reached agreement early this year with the unions representing Springfield production workers to begin phasing out operations this spring.
Hamel said the other lines are to be shut down in phases for the rest of 2010. The Spring Valley plant is scheduled to close this summer. “We will communicate well in advance to workers being affected, and they will receive support from Honeywell,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Labor has said that the 120 workers at Honeywell Hobbs qualify for additional job-training benefits through the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program for workers whose jobs are going out of the country. The program provides special employment services, job training and income support during training. Workers also might be
eligible for relocation assistance and a health-coverage tax credit.

Hamel said it is too early for Honeywell to determine what it intends to do with the Springfield building. Honeywell International has owned the Springfield operation, which opened in 1938 as John W. Hobbs Corp., since 2002.

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