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Safe Source Direct workers rally to save jobs amid suspension
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LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- In an effort to let their voices be heard, Safe Source Direct employees rallied to support their company and save their jobs after operations were suspended in August.
Despite the suspension of operations that left 541 employees without jobs, some workers, like Constance Carrier and Erica Caston, remain employed and hopeful about the company's future.
"We are still employed," said Carrier. "We still are up and running. We're just waiting to see the end and how it's going to turn out."
Carrier and Caston expressed their support for Safe Source Direct, emphasizing their belief that the company will recover, and jobs will be retained.
"We are out here because our bosses would like to be heard and we love working for Safe Source," Carrier said.
The employees were informed of the suspension but were not provided with detailed explanations. Management has facilitated access to resources like the Louisiana Workforce Commission and LEDA for those who chose not to stay.
Carrier says upper management has been supportive, offering opportunities to explore other jobs while maintaining hope for the company's revival.
"Upper management have supported us," she said. "They have given us an opportunity to reach out to other jobs. But on behalf of Safe Source, we decided to stay and ride it out because we believe that eventually it will come to a point where we may keep our jobs."
Caston highlighted the importance of their work, which includes manufacturing medical gloves, gowns, hairnets, masks and respirators.
"We manufacture more than just medical gloves," Caston said. "We manufacture gowns, hairnets and masks and respirators and things like that, too. So, I'm not sure if anybody calls that not important. But to me that's very important."
Caston and other employees expressed gratitude to the company's owner for the opportunity to work there, despite the current uncertainty.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.