Departed workers hoping to return

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 6, 2001

Juan Rodriguez, former line worker at the Farmland Foods plant in Albert Lea, is leaving for Rochester in two weeks.

Saturday, October 06, 2001

Juan Rodriguez, former line worker at the Farmland Foods plant in Albert Lea, is leaving for Rochester in two weeks.

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He said he was fortunate to find a good job in the area at a prison in Rochester. Though he’s looking forward to his new job, he hopes a new Farmland plant is built soon in Albert Lea. He knows many of his fellow workers would like to stay or possibly return.

&uot;Many of my friends are still looking for a job in Albert Lea. I care for them a lot,&uot; he said.

After the layoff, Rodriguez enrolled in an ESL program offered at Brookside Education Center while receiving some assistance from public and civil organizations. He credits the language program for helping him land his new job. His memories of Albert Lea as a friendly and supportive city will always stay with him, he said.

In the months since the July fire at Farmland foods, many city officials, legislators, community agencies and organizations have galvanized behind an effort to keep workers like Rodriguez in Albert Lea.

So far, the results have been mixed.

Many of the workers remain in the area, relying on unemployment benefits, alternative employment and job training to make ends meet. But, at the same time, the number of workers and their families who have left to find work elsewhere is mounting.

Collette Turcotte, director of Community Action, says her agency has given assistance to over 300 Farmland workers since the fire. She believes the number of workers who have left Albert Lea is around 200.

&uot;They have to do what the have to do. The have families to support and bills to pay,&uot; Turcotte said. &uot;I know from talking with many workers that the uncertainty is difficult.&uot;

Many workers that remain in the community landed jobs in nearby cities and are commuting from Albert Lea, she said. Companies such as Viracon Glass in Owatonna and Hormel and Quality Pork in Austin have employed scores or laid off Farmland employees.

&uot;The workers love our community. Even those who moved out, they’re renting their house in Albert Lea instead of selling. They are willing to come back,&uot; she said.

Other workers have made an effort to keep employment with Farmland by moving to Carroll, Iowa and working temporarily in the facility there. Community Action has helped many families rent trucks for the move.

&uot;Many of them said they’ll be watching the news to see if a new plant is built in Albert Lea. No question, they’re planning to return if that happens,&uot; Turcotte said.

According to Becky Thofson, area manager of Workforce Development, Inc, 475 is the total numbers of workers laid-off after the fire. Among them, 121 are currently taking one of the skill-training courses Workforce Development offers. The organization received two-year federal grants designated for the training of former Farmland employees.

Most classes are taught at Riverland Community College, Thofson said. The courses range from ESL to computer operation. Thofson and her staff have been making significant efforts to gather information about the local job market to update the contents of courses.

&uot;We need to match the displaced workers’ skills to the demand from business,&uot; Thofson said, adding that Workforce Development is considering creating more new courses such as small business administration by coordinating with Riverland.

While agencies like Community Action and Workforce Development continue to help Farmland families, the school district is feeling the effects of the fire. So far, Albert Lea schools has lost 34 students with parents employed at the local plant, said Superintendent Dr. David Prescott.

&uot;It’s definitely unfortunate. If the fire had never happened, we would actually be above our enrollment projections. With the fire, we’re barely meeting them, and we’re afraid our numbers could continue to decline throughout the course of the year,&uot; he said.

Prescott said the district will continue to track the Farmland students, keeping data on how many have left the area, and where they are moving. The information could help the district land some state money to ease the enrollment declines, he said.

&uot;We’re working with Sen. Grace Schwab (R-Albert Lea) to put some kind of aid package together for the next session,&uot; Prescott said. &uot;Of course, in the long run, we’d like to see that new plant built and some of these families return to us.&uot;

Phyllis Talamantes, owner of Tienda Mexico, feels about a half of Farmland employee customers have left Albert Lea after the July fire. Sales at the grocery store she owns with her husband have decreased by 25 to 30 percent. Business is still slow, she said.

Talamantes still witnesses the departures even now. Six families left last week, and a several more are planning to leave next week, she said. Many of the displaced Farmland workers tried to find other opportunities in Albert Lea and around the area but found none and decided to leave. She thinks more people will give up staying here.

As one of the earliest Hispanic resident in the city, Talamantes feels personally affected by the loss of families – she helped many Mexican newcomers to the community. Farmland workers used to fondly refer to her as &uot;Dona Talamantes,&uot; she said

&uot;I really hope Farmland will return, because many of the people (who left) said to me that they want to come back,&uot; said Talamantes.