"G.H. Bass is a company that has been strongly rooted in Maine and associated with our practical, hardworking, and outdoor way of life. Its loss is devastating to our state, Maine's shoemaking heritage, and the workers who dedicated years of their life to the business," said Senator Collins. "Given the devastating impact that job losses at the Wilton and South Portland factories will have on the workforce and the economy of these two regions, I urge the Department of Labor to act quickly and favorably to approve this request for a National Emergency Grant. The funding will help to provide job retraining programs that are essential for these employees to gain the necessary skills to re-enter the workforce at this challenging time."
National Emergency Grants provide states and local agencies with money to respond to the needs of dislocated workers and communities that are affected by plant closures, mass layoffs affecting 50 or more workers at a single company, and multiple layoffs in a community that have significantly increased the total number of unemployed people in that area. Senator Collins is currently leading a bipartisan effort in the Senate to increase funding for the Workforce Investment Act, which includes funding for National Emergency Grants.
Senator Collins' office has also been in touch with Bass management and the Maine Department of Labor to offer assistance in helping dislocated workers with social services, job search support, and alternative job training.