Statement of Mayor Paul Soglin on Job Losses at Madison's Oscar Mayer Plant

My office received word this morning that KraftHeinz will be permanently laying-off 165 employees at the Madison Oscar Mayer facility. I am deeply concerned about the well-being of these employees and their families and expect to work closely with the company, the State Department of Workforce Development, and the Workforce Development Board of South-Central Wisconsin to assist in finding these workers comparable positions. There are also local agencies as well as other partners who have addressed similar challenges and are prepared to assist affected workers as they determine their next employment opportunity.

Oscar Mayer has been a part of Madison’s Northside for over 100 years and we expect that to continue for another 100 years. I met last month with Oscar Mayer officials to discuss the future of the KraftHeinz Company in Madison. I look forward to a continued healthy relationship with the company we call Oscar Mayer and stress that this set back will not detour our efforts to create a robust food economy in Madison.