411 jobs lost by abrupt closure of 90-year-old Kroger bakery

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hundreds of workers are trying to figure out their next steps after the abrupt closure of a Kroger bakery in Ohio eliminated 411 jobs.

The Cincinnati-based company announced the closure of the 90-year-old bakery in Columbus on Feb. 11. Kroger cited the “outdated layout and age” of the plant’s equipment.

The grocery chain says workers will be paid 60 days before receiving severance based on years of service according to a collective bargaining agreement. The company is encouraging workers to apply for jobs at other Kroger facilities.

Chase Ragland worked at the bakery for almost seven years. He tells The Columbus Dispatch he’s looking for another job while hoping to go back to school for a physical therapy degree.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com