While Chattanoogans rightly celebrate the new, high-paying jobs coming to our area with the construction of the big Volkswagen plant and the expansion of Alstom Power’s local facilities, we are sadly reminded that this region, too, continues to suffer from the ongoing economic crisis.
Just recently, it was announced that the Blue Bird bus-manufacturing facility in nearby LaFayette, Ga., will close in August, at a cost of 350 jobs. Blue Bird is a big employer in Walker County, so the loss will be felt not only by the workers directly affected but also by the wider community as those workers have less income to spend at businesses in the area.
Blue Bird officials said that in response to the economic crisis, the company is centralizing its operations, staff and services at its headquarters in central Georgia, near Macon.
Those of us who are fortunate enough to have jobs should reach out to help those who would like to have jobs but cannot find them. The 350 soon-to-be-unemployed workers in LaFayette as well as others throughout our area who have been idled the past few years are in a difficult position. But strong support by the rest of us can ease their circumstances while we await the return of more prosperous days — and hope that our federal government will help bring back better times by reversing its current course of trying to spend the nation our of economic troubles.