Hundreds of Pepsi workers are being laid off after the company decides to close the plant in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Monday.
Some workers said they have been with the company for more than 45 years. The workers said they came to work as normal and were told the plant was closing and to go home.
Many workers left with tears in their eyes trying to figure out how they will provide for their families.
“No notice,” former Pepsi truck driver Eric Gadson said. “None of that. Blind sided.”
Gadson has been a Pepsi truck driver for 21 years until he was notified when he showed up at work Monday that Pepsi is permanently closing its 51st Street facility in Chicago effective immediately.
“I’m the sole provider in my household,” Gadson said. “My wife has, MS, my daughter’s about to go to college next year. So it’s, I can’t put in the words what I feel right now.”
Gadson said he was just nine years away from retirement, but now is forced to start from scratch elsewhere.
Pepsi said in a statement, “The decision to no longer operate at 51st Street is a difficult one. This is a more than 60-year-old building that has physical limitations. Our top priority is to support our employees during this transition, and our commitment to serve Chicagoland remains strong. Our plans meet applicable legal requirements and we will actively work with Union leadership on the details related to the closure.”