IUE-CWA Members and Community Allies Call for Walmart to Tell Supplier to Cancel Plans to Ship LED Bulb Manufacturing to China

Over the weekend, IUE-CWA members and community allies held rallies at Walmart stores across the country to call on the corporation to act immediately to prevent workers from losing 80 factory jobs.

LED light bulbs that are sold by Walmart are currently made by IUE-CWA workers at the GE-Savant Systems LLC lighting plant in Bucyrus, Ohio. However, the Walmart supplier has announced its intention to move its LED residential light bulb product line out of the facility to China, permanently laying off 80 workers, and putting the future of the plant, one of the last-standing residential lighting plants left in the USA, in jeopardy.

IUE-CWA International President Carl Kennebrew called on Walmart to tell the supplier to cancel its plans to outsource the 80 jobs.

"This should be easy for Walmart," said President Kennebrew. "Walmart's brand of LED Bulbs that now carry an 'Assembled in the USA' label are scheduled to be moved to China. Walmart can tell their supplier (GE-Savant) to cancel plans to ship them overseas. If Walmart is serious about supporting American manufacturing, this is how they can show it."

Workers have launched an online petition in support of the campaign to save these factory jobs and additional actions are planned at Walmart stores on Saturday.

IUE-CWA members and community allies are holding rallies at Walmart stores across the country to call on the corporation to act immediately to prevent workers from losing 80 factory jobs.