EUFAULA, Ala. (AP) — A lighting factory near the Alabama-Georgia border will soon close, eliminating about 300 local jobs.
Cooper Lighting told WSFA-TV that the company is moving its operation elsewhere so it can maintain competitiveness. The majority of jobs will go to three cities in Mexico. The move is expected this fall.
Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs said the company is moving because of cheap labor. The average salary for a worker at the Alabama plant is $33,000. By comparison, an average worker in Mexico would make around $9,000.
Local officials fear the closure will have a ripple effect on the economy, hurting suppliers who serve the factory.
Cooper Lighting set up its local operations in 1980 is among the three largest employers in Eufaula.
