Since at least the late 1980s, many of us were under the impression it can’t happen here.
Well, many of us were real wrong because it is happening here.
Despite recessions, mining’s demise and the deaths of major benefactors of this area and this state, like a beacon in the night, this area never stopped shining.
Until now. No, the light has not gone out on our community, by any means.
But the enormous job losses in our area lately are undoubtedly a bad omen of what’s to come.
We are not referring to the closure of several large retailers and the calamity facing many small brick-and-mortar stores.
Instead, we refer to what was left of the heavy and light manufacturing base in our area, including:
- The idled Federal No. 2 mine near Blacksville in December 2017, which resulted in more than 260 workers losing their jobs.
- The closure of 4 West Mine, near Mount Morris, Pa., in January, affecting nearly 400 workers .
- Swanson Industries, on Smithtown Road, laying off 70-85 employees permanently in February.
- And just last week, Mylan Pharmaceuticals laying off 15 percent of its workforce — more than 500 employees.
Not that we believe political promises, but we weren’t told it was going to happen this way.
Matter of fact, we were told that jobs were coming back to West Virginia.
And what happened to that trickle down effect from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and “regulatory reform”?
It’s apparent most of our local, state and congressional leaders were even aware this was happening.
Oh, the governor’s office is marshaling resources into the Morgantown area today to assist Mylan’s idled employees. But it seems a little bit late for assisting these workers and others to “stay, live, work and grow their families in West Virginia,” as he put it.
The ripple effect of these job losses has yet to kick in but there will be consequences far beyond the immediate ones to these workers.
Such mass layoffs will affect all jobs in all shifts and all departments of practically all businesses in our area.
Worse yet, this is happening in a county that is much more economically diverse than practically all others statewide. If it’s happening here, it’s difficult to imagine what’s happening in Logan, in Charleston, in Fairmont and in Wheeling.
After all, the greater Morgantown area is supposed to be the place where it’s happening — a virtual island of growth in a vast sea of despair.
But now, this promised land of ours needs to start taking a long, hard look at this breach of promise.
