Federal district court temporarily pauses closure of a Charleroi glass factory

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A federal district court has temporarily paused the closure of a glass factory in Charleroi, Washington County.

In a news release on Monday, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said the court granted its office a temporary restraining order pausing the closure of the Anchor Hocking plant, which employs about 300 workers. The ruling prevents  Anchor Hocking Holdings and Centre Lane Partners from removing equipment and other materials from the plant before the next scheduled hearing. 

A hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for Nov. 12, the news release said. 

“The closure of this longtime manufacturing hub will have permanent impact on the Charleroi community and surrounding neighborhoods, which depend on the plant for employment that is vital to the local economy and prosperity of families living there,” Attorney General Michele Henry said in the news release. “My office intervened in plans to close what is the only large-scale manufacturing operation in that area, and we are very pleased that the federal district court agreed with our position.”

In September, Anchor Hocking announced plans to close the plant and move its operations to Ohio. The announcement sent shockwaves through the community as the plant, which makes cookware like Pyrex, has been a fixture in the community. 

Last month, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices were sent to workers at the plant, telling one-third of that workforce that by December their services would no longer be required.

Workers previously rallied to save the glass plant and called on company leadership to sit down with them and work this out.