Timing makes plant closing more difficult

FARRAH MAFFAI staff Diana Garrabrant, one of many laid-off Green Tree employees, at her East Brunswick home with (l-r) Steven, 15, Cori, 17, Anthony, 5, and Frankie, 7.

E. Bruns. mom among the many struggling after job loss

BY JOLENE HART

Staff Writer

For Diana Garrabrant, one of a hundred workers laid off from Green Tree Chemical Technologies, Sayreville, Nov. 21, the approaching holidays will bring more sleepless nights than joyful celebration.

An employee at Green Tree for two years, Garrabrant, an East Brunswick resident, worked in purification at the Minisink Avenue plant until she received the sudden announcement of the closing. Despite looming financial insecurity, she is trying to remain confident her situation will improve.

As a single mother of four children, ages 17, 15, 6 and 5, Garrabrant is dealing with the news optimistically, but with indisputable realism.

"We’re not going to have a Christmas this year," she said. "The older ones understand, but it’s not fair for my younger ones."

Receiving unemployment payments that barely pay for the rent of her four-bedroom home, Garrabrant is not even sure her family’s medical coverage will continue. Her check will not begin to cover food and additional expenses, she said.

"It’s just a shame, because [Green Tree employees] are a great bunch of people," she said. "We gave 110 percent."

Garrabrant said she dealt with a similar situation in June when Green Tree employees experienced a temporary layoff. Employees were called back four weeks later. While dealing with the June hiatus, she made plans to return to school and look for another job — plans that changed when she was called back to work.

She said she is now unsure what she will do until she hears decisively from Green Tree executives, who maintain the closing may be temporary. Garrabrant expressed frustration with limited job prospects and low wages in the positions she has explored.

At the moment, she is facing financial obstacles that she did not foresee a few weeks ago. Like other employees, she awaits word from Green Tree and hopes the company will meet with representatives from Union 271 in the near future to negotiate severance pay and health benefits.

"We will get through this. I have faith," Garrabrant said.

According to Mark Carotenuto, International Chemical Workers Union 271 president, Green Tree executives have not returned calls to the federal mediator involved with union negotiations. The mediator will now prepare a letter to Green Tree, requesting negotiations on severance and the terms of the employees’ contract, which is due to expire at year’s end.

"The borough will provide its facilities to the union for negotiations, if necessary," Mayor Kennedy O’Brien said this week. "I have offered our help and assistance."

Hercules Inc., the former owner of the plant that will oversee its shutdown, is currently paying to employ a few fire-watch workers under the guidelines of Green Tree’s contract.

"Hercules will negotiate with CIT, Green Tree’s financial lender, for control of the company’s account, which may place them in a position to gain control of Green Tree’s assets, "Carotenuto said.

Reports of the $7 million debt Green Tree owed to CIT that have surfaced since the plant closing did not surprise Carotenuto, who added that $18 million is also owed to Hercules, on top of unknown debts to unsecured creditors, customers, vendors and employees.

On Wednesday, the state Department of Labor visited the plant to discuss options with former employees of Green Tree.

"Our first issue is that the health and safety of our employees is protected in terms of insurance," O’Brien said. "We are trying to find someone from the state with the power and authority to come down here and answer our very basic questions."

The Parlin plant produced nitrocellulose used in varnish, nail polish, ink and lacquer, as well as smokeless nitrocellulose, used in military ammunition. It has been operating under various ownership since 1915.