Goodwill announced the permanent closure of its Milwaukee commercial laundry and linen services facility in a notice submitted Tuesday (June 3) to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. This meant that all 136 employees of the site would be made redundant effective Aug. 3.
The company has been operating retail stores and workforce-training programs for low-income residents and those facing barriers to the workforce.
Goodwill also operated a commercial laundry in Milwaukee since 1974 to serve the needs of the Naval Station Great Lakes in northern Illinois.
Based on its income tax filings, the announcement was made after Goodwill posted an operating loss of $3.4 million to $5 million in recent years.
The Milwaukee Business Journal reported that the figures were based on its most recent publicly available filing in 2022.
Goodwill Assures Impacted Workers Employment Assistance
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the company's southeastern Wisconsin and Metro Chicago offices decided against it not being ideal.
It also assured all employees losing their jobs that they would be paid all earned wages and agreed-upon benefits at the time of their termination, as well as offering resources to help its impacted workers secure other jobs within or outside the company.
Representatives from the Service Employees International Union, which represents some of the employees being made redundant, have not responded to reporters' requests for comment.
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