'Fighting for every single job.' Dover officials work to keep jobs at Zimmer Biomet plant
DOVER ‒ City and local economic development leaders have been meeting on a regular basis with Zimmer Biomet to preserve jobs at the company's Dover facility.
The Warsaw, Indiana-based company is considering moving some production from its plant at 200 W. Ohio Ave. to Costa Rica. The facility manufactures products for hip and knee replacements. Officials with United Steelworkers Local 2737-15 have said the move could impact 80% of the 185 union employees at Zimmer.
Zimmer Biomet on the move?Union says company considering eliminating jobs at Dover plant
Zimmer cited the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind the proposal.
The company is considering entering into a long-term agreement with an existing supplier to take on manufacturing of some products. If the company is successful, a number of employees at the Dover plant would lose their jobs beginning Jan. 7. Reduction of the workforce would continue through March 31, according to a notice the company sent to the union.
Interim Mayor Shane Gunnoe told City Council on Monday that officials from the city, the Tuscarawas County Economic Development and Finance Alliance and Jobs Ohio continue to have meetings with Zimmer.
"I would like everyone to know that we've been having a lot of meetings with the leadership of Zimmer, seeing what else we can do in terms of incentives or job retention or if it comes down to it, what else we can provide in the way of workforce training to assist those employees," Gunnoe said following the council meeting.
"Zimmer assured us that they have a commitment to that Dover plant, that they're going to look to bring additional lines into that facility as time goes on. There's a long-term commitment to that facility and those workers.
"The city's commitment and our economic development partners' commitment is to do anything we can to support that in the way of economic development incentives to encourage them to continue keeping jobs in Dover. We're committing to fighting for every single job at that facility."
He pledged that local leaders will continue meeting with Zimmer regularly in the future to push for opportunities to created additional local jobs.
Zimmer did not respond to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dover leaders work to preserve jobs at Zimmer Biomet plant
