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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-6871.
The U.S. Department of Labor is awarding two grants of
nearly $4.4 million to help 500 workers in Washington State, Secretary of Labor
Robert B. Reich announced today. The two grants will assist workers affected by
corporate restructuring and limitations on timber harvesting and commercial
fishing.
"These grants illustrate the ripple effect of job loss on a
local economy," Reich said. "The workers affected by downsizing are only the
first wave of dislocation, with other, less obvious lay-offs to follow. I am
glad we have the resources to help these workers return to productivity."
One grant, for up to $3,159,399, will be used for 264
workers dislocated from USWest because of corporate restructuring. The project
will be operated by the Pacific Mountain Consortium, the Tacoma-Pierce County
Consortium, the Spokane City-County Consortium, the Seattle-King County
Consortium and the Tri-Valley Private Industry Council. Affected workers are
located in Pierce, Spokane, King, Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston, Pacific,
Lewis, Yakima, Kittitas, and Klickitat Counties.
The grant will provide a number of services including basic
readjustment services, classroom training, occupational skills training,
on-the-job training, financial and personal counseling and supportive services
such as child care and transportation assistance and needs-related
payments.
In addition to using the services provided by the grant,
many dislocated USWest workers will be able to access the USWest Communications
Pathways program which offers financial support for education or vocational
training.
The second grant, for $1,237,500, will be used to assist
workers affected by the economic slowdown resulting from the federal
government's policies limiting timber harvests and commercial fishing, as well
as the secondary effects of layoffs by the Boeing company in Puget Sound.
The project operator will be the Olympic Private Industry
Council, and affected workers are located in Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap
Counties.
Services to be provided under this grant include basic
readjustment services, basic education (GED), classroom training, on-the-job
training and supportive services such as child care assistance, transportation
assistance, emergency health care, meals and emergency financial
assistance.
Both grants are authorized by the Job Training Partnership
Act.
The dislocated worker program is a comprehensive approach
to assist workers who have been, or are about to be, laid off for reasons such
as technological change, foreign competition or government actions. In general,
such workers are eligible if they are unlikely to return to their previous
industry or occupation.
Budget proposals in Congress for Fiscal Year 1996 (which
begins Oct. 1, 1995) would cut funding for dislocated worker programs by 34
percent to $850 million. As a result, 246,000 fewer Americans would be able to
benefit from employment and training support next year.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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