By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

CONVENT – Employee union leadership at Imperial Sugar’s Gramercy refinery recently told the St. James Parish Council that workers are concerned they will get overlooked for jobs when layoffs at the plant take place at the end of this week.

Union President Lloyd Kliebert said the refinery has not done enough to ensure that long-term employees get the chance to get their jobs back when Louisiana Sugar Refining takes over operations at the Imperial facility. Imperial is set to cease its operations Friday and reduce its packing operations there, resulting in the termination of about 170 jobs.

“They are being told that they are not qualified to work there,” Kliebert said. “Some of these employees have worked at that plant for more than 20 years, and now they are not qualified? Refining is the only thing these people know.”

Imperial’s shut down is taking place ahead of the planned opening of LSR’s $190 million sugar refinery being built on the existing site in Gramercy in late 2011. Imperial is a partner in the new refinery owned jointly with Cargill Inc. and Louisiana Sugar Growers and Refiners Inc., a cooperative endeavor composed of nine sugar mills and around 700 growers.

Kliebert said existing workers should be the first considered by LSR when the re-hires begin early next year.

“Entire families are contracted to work at this refinery,” Kliebert said. “This refinery has served St. James Parish for more than 100 years, and it is an important part of our history. People who live here deserve that chance.”

Imperial spokesman Clinton Woods said via e-mail that any worker whose job is eliminated at the Imperial refinery will be able to apply for a job with the joint venture. He said the company couldn’t promise who will get what jobs because it is not up to them who LSR keeps. He said LSR has yet to decide how many to keep and that decisions will be made after employee qualifications are reviewed.

Last year, LSR officials said the new refinery would employ about 145 employees. It is unclear whether any of those employees will be union members laid off by Imperial. Kliebert said his pleas are not a part of a “union fight” but more about protecting jobs for the parish.

“How can you say you are creating jobs when you run an existing refinery with new people,” Kliebert said. “The governor was at that groundbreaking last year. It was an important day for the parish and the families who work at this plant. We just want those jobs protected.”

The council had invited plant manager Raylene Carter to the same meeting, but Council Chairman Ralph Patin said she was unable to make it due to a death in her family. She told him the council really needed to speak with representatives from LSR. Patin said representatives have been invited to the council’s next meeting on Jan. 5 in Convent.

The council unanimously approved a resolution in support of the existing employees of Imperial Sugar Refinery. Patin said a copy of the resolution is being sent to state and U.S. representatives, the state Economic Development office and to representatives with Louisiana Sugar Growers and Refiners.