"This news is bad news for me:" Laid off Cargill workers get some direction; many of them still worried

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The first of two orientation meetings was held Monday, August 11th for nearly 600 workers -- laid off after Cargill decided to close it's Milwaukee beef harvesting facility. The plant officially shut down on August 1st -- and this week, city and state leaders are working to help those who are now out of a job.

Losing a job can be stressful, and Monday's orientation meeting was meant to give former Cargill workers some direction and assistance.

Instead of clocking in at the Cargill plant on Monday, its laid off workers were signing up at Serb Hall.

"This news, it's bad news for me," Mohamed Elmaki said.

Elmaki isn't alone. He and nearly 600 others were recently let go.

"It is a very difficult position to be in and part of it is not knowing where to turn," Ricard Ybarra with the Department of Workforce Development said.

So Cargill leaders, along with leaders from the city of Milwaukee and the Department of Workforce Development set up "Rapid Response" meetings.

Behind closed doors on Monday, laid off workers learned about unemployment benefits, training options and resume techniques.

"I feel a little bit better I guess, but not much," former Cargill employee Michael Bub said.

Bub says there are still so many questions -- and he says he's got a lot on his mind.

"As of right now I`m just worried about taking care of my kids, paying the bills," Bub said.

That's where these meetings come into play. In addition to learning about unemployment benefits, former employees were given resources on how to further their skills or enroll in school. That's something Bub says he was impressed with.

"They`re giving you the opportunity to better yourself," Bub said.

While Bub says Monday's meeting provided a lot of information, he's still worried about his future.

"That was okay. If they follow through with most of they were saying, it`s going to go well," Bub said.

Another orientation is planned for Wednesday, August 13th at Serb Hall.

The job fair for laid-off Cargill workers will be held on Thursday, August 14th. It will be held at Serb Hall — on Milwaukee’s south side (near 51st and Oklahoma Ave.).



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