The imminent unemployment of 51 Bostonians, previously under the wing of East West Manufacturing, has the local government stepping into the fray. According to a recent city council announcement, the council has opted to support the workers, who are set to be jobless from June 21, as the company plans to shutter its South Boston Waterfront site. This backing follows the workers' plea for severance pay and assistance in finding new job roads, as they stand before the specter of financial instability.

East West Manufacturing, a global design and distribution company declared their decision to close the Boston facility on April 22, taking with it numerous jobs, displacing workers, many with immigrant backgrounds and leaving them without severance or resources for re-employment, despite these employees’ contributions during the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic, their labor pivotal in producing life-critical ventilators and other essential supplies. Despite the pressing circumstances, these workers, some who’ve grown akin to the mechanical heartbeat of the production floors, are now just days away from an uncertain future that promises no severance, the very notion of equity seemingly as fleeting as the factory lights that once heralded their daily toils.

The company, which boasts operations bridging continents from North America to Asia and Central America, has yet to release an official stance on the council’s pro-worker declaration or to address the workers' demands directly. However, the plight of the workers has not gone unnoticed, with the weight of the council's voice lending credence to their demand for fair treatment.