APPLETON (WTAQ-WLUK) -While an effort is underway on a state level to save Kimberly-Clark jobs, Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin also wants to make changes on a national level.
Weeks after Kimberly-Clark announced plant closures in the Fox Valley, workers said, they’re still in shock.
Jessica Schiessl of Kimberly told FOX 11, “We had heard we were doing amazing and we had a meeting in the same room and we left saying ‘We did it! We did it! It’s great!’ and three weeks later we got called in telling us that we’re shutting down.”
Senator Baldwin met with workers Friday. She said what’s happening in Washington affected businesses here in the state.
“There is vast sums of money being expended on stock buybacks, on dividends for investors. Ninety-five percent of corporate profit in publicly traded companies is being used on stock buybacks, not reinvesting,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin said Kimberly-Clark workers in Wisconsin helped create 3.3 billion dollars in operating profit last year.
“The fact that the workers in the company really contributed to the profitability, raised questions on how at once they can afford $1.3 billion in dividend and $911 million in stock buybacks and yet are proposing to pink slip 600 of those workers,” said Baldwin.
The Republican-controlled State Legislature, along with Governor Walker, are looking at offering Kimberly Clark tax incentives, in hopes of saving the jobs. It would offer Kimberly Clark a 17% tax credit, which is more than double the 7% currently allowed by the state.
Walker told FOX 11, “I think in the end it’ll probably get a broad basis of support. It’s something people will understand, doesn’t matter whether we’re democrat or republican, it’s really important.”
And while workers say the uncertainty is tough, they hope it results with their jobs being saved.
“No one knows what to do,” Schiessl said, “I mean it’s just like holding your breath because you don’t know if you should be looking for something else.”
Another Kimberly-Clark employee told FOX 11, “I mean, anything that will help the community out is a good thing for us”
Kimberly-Clark says it has received an outline of the potential tax incentives, but says, no decision has been made.
