RTS Plastics Inc. workers will have to reapply to keep jobs

By CARL E. FEATHER - Lifestyle Editor - cfeather@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

March 28, 2008 05:07 am

— Employees of the former NEO Plastics in Austinburg will have to reapply for their jobs with the new owner, RTS Plastics Inc., of Ontario, Canada, but no job losses are expected to occur as a result of that action, says Vicki Cegliastro, general manager/ controller.
RTS is purchasing the Coffee Creek Industrial Park facility from the bankruptcy receiver. Cegliastro says the receiver is actually the employer during this interim period.
“Employees have been hired through the receiver, and those employees have to go through the process of reapplying for their jobs,” she says. “It’s not our intention to go through another selection process for those jobs. We are rehiring everyone who is here,” she said.
There are caveats, however. Employees will have to pass a physical and undergo drug tests. The process should take about two to four weeks, says Cegliastro.
The company has stated it hopes to make the plastics molding plant profitable again and hire other new employees. The company has 33 workers and will hire three additional ones.
“We have hired a local company, Infinity Resources, that will be acting as our human resources agent,” says Cegliastro. “They will manage anything that has to do with human resources.”
Applications will be accepted on site and through Infinity Resources, she said. She said the company was selected because it is local. Infinity has offices in Ashtabula and Conneaut.
“One of the main things we like about them is that they are very close,” she said.
Cegliastro said wages are still being studied by the new owners. At this time, employees do not receive benefits.
“We are looking at that and hope to be able to offer them,” she says.
She said it is RTS’ goal eventually to have the Austinburg plant operate as a stand-alone facility. Two truckloads of product are leaving the plant for Canada every week.