HOLLAND, Mich. — The holiday season is a tough time to be without a job, and that's a tough reality for some employees at a plant in Holland who found out roughly a week ago that 170 people would be losing their jobs.
LG Energy Solution in Holland issued FOX 17 the following statement on the layoffs:
“As we continue our mass expansion and renovations, LG Energy Solution Michigan is transitioning and retooling some production lines from our current production facility to our second factory within our Holland site. Less staff will be needed as some production lines are transitioned.
"Due to this production gap and automakers realigning the speed of the EV transition, it is with deep regret that we must unfortunately announce layoffs in Holland. The layoffs will occur in phases. Approximately 170 production team members will be laid off between December 2023 and January 2024. We will continue to remain open and transparent with our workforce as this process unfolds.
"We understand the impact this will have on those who are being laid off and will provide those affected with support and assistance. This will include a severance package and outplacement services.
"LG Energy Solution continues to grow and has a bright future in the automotive industry. The major expansion project for our second facility is well underway. And, with the recent partnership announcement with Toyota, we will supply batteries to all five top global automakers.”
Coworkers of those losing their jobs have wasted no time in trying to raise money for those who will be without a job this holiday season.
“It’s the holidays. It’s tough. One hundred seventy people are going to be on unemployment for the holidays," LG employee Steve Sanger said.
Sanger has organized a GoFundMe to hopefully help cover the costs of Christmas for each of the laid-off employees.
“I just want to get enough money for Christmas dinner, presents for the kids,” Sanger said.
Sanger says it's hard losing colleagues, especially because he says he knows it's hard to find a manufacturing job during the holidays.
"It’s really tough for them,” Sanger said.
Sanger says he's happy to work at LG and his attempts to help his colleagues are in no way an attempt to go against the company. He simply wants to help his colleagues.
