Diaz cuts workforce

Seven employees were laid off recently by Diaz Chemical in Holley.

Chad Ebbs, 23, is one of the workers affected by the lay-off. He had been employed with Diaz for more than two years, he said.

"We went to work ... and were told we were no longer needed," he said. "I don’t know if they are trying to cut costs so they can turn around and survive or what."

Ebbs explained he and fellow co-workers had been working swing shifts, of 12 days on two days off, had received bonuses and the lay-off came as a complete shock.

"This is such a slap in the face," he said. "We’re being thrown away like a disposable glove because of poor management operation."

Ebbs said his co-workers were like family. "You didn’t mind working with the chemicals because you liked the people you worked with and you were able to find comfort and security with the people you spent your days with."

Diaz Chemical’s Vice President Cliff Jenney said the lay offs were necessary because of a drop in work loads. "We have had to make adjustments to the workforce based on workloads," he said.

The January 5 spill, Jenney said, definitely changed the volume of work. "We told people at the public meeting that we won’t manufacture the product that was leaked and that has had an impact on the workload."

Residents of Holley were subjected to the release of more than 75 gallons of steam and chemicals into the air in early January. The chemicals included a mixture of water, 2-chloro-6 fluorophenol and toluene.

Many of the residents were offered a voluntary evacuation and have been staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Brockport since the incident. Diaz has had clean-up crews in the homes of those affected by the spill.

Health Department and Department of Environmental Conservation officials have tested the area and have determined that it is up to individuals whether they feel safe in returning to their homes.

The chemical’s short term health effects are eye, throat and nose irritation and contact dermatitis, according to health officials.

Jenney said there is always a chance the employees would return to work but he didn’t see anything in the immediate future. "We told them they should look for other work," he said.

Resident and retired chemist Andrew Saul said the firing of the seven individuals is an indication of Diaz’s poor character. "I think this is Diaz saying, ‘we were careless and we finally got caught and now we are taking it out on our employees,’" Saul said.

Saul said his sympathies are with the Diaz employees. "Now is the time for Diaz to affirm to its employees that it’s not just jobs or the environment, it has to be jobs and the environment," he said.

Saul said the firing came as no surprise. "Diaz will not sink or swim based on whether they manufacture 2-cholor-6 fluorophenol."