At a large plant south of Chicago in Illinois, CSL Behring is shutting down one of its filling departments and letting go of 65 employees.
The staffers at what CSL has called its “leading-edge manufacturing site” were formally notified about the cuts on April 5, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice from the state.
Still, the site's leadership first alerted workers “several years ago” that it would be closing one of its filling departments, a CSL spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The closure was part of a “commitment to regulatory authorities,” including the FDA, the spokesperson said.
Now, that shutdown is nearing, according to the spokesperson.
The site employs 1,500 workers and is the second-largest employer in Kankakee County, according to a local ABC News affiliate.
In October, the facility’s management reportedly reached a deal with union leaders following a week-long strike of 700 unionized staffers who were concerned about the outsourcing of jobs to third-party contractors.
The three-year deal included yearly raises, a $2,500 ratification signing bonus and the continuation of employees' same insurance premiums, ABC Chicago reported at the time.
CSL Behring’s presence in the area dates back more than 70 years.
In 2018, the company revealed plans for a 1.8 million-square-foot expansion after buying a 74-acre property formally owned by Bunge Edible Oil next to the campus.