Chillicothe — Some former paper mill employees have found work, but many at jobs with long drives – and others are struggling with unemployment. And, expansion of employment at the new glove factory at the former mill, and promised jobs at the former atomic plant near Piketon, would help the workforce even more. That is the word from an officer in the paper mill union.
Todd Fannon is in U.S. Steelworkers Local 731. His union represents the workers of the Chillicothe site, the main mill – the Chilpaco side has its own union, Local 988. (The union’s president spoke at the April 18th rally.) He was invited to the ‘paper mill response team’ weekly meeting on Tuesday afternoon, October 14th, 2025, to help set up a $5.5M fund established by the sale of the mill from Pixelle / H.I.G., to benefit their laid-off workers.
I asked Fannon how the employees have done since the shutdown announcement on April 15th. He said many have found new jobs, but some must drive pretty far to them. They may be driving an hour or an hour-and-a-half for a 10- to 12-hour shift, so that doesn’t leave much down time or family time.
He said some employees are used to a certain pay grade, with payments and families, and find it hard to deal with a pay cut.
Of those who haven’t found work, some have found unemployment a nightmare, Fannon said. There are no local contacts if they have a problem – they must drive to Columbus or Hillsboro. The local Job & Family Services can help apply, but if there is a problem, he says the recipient must go to the state.
He said the announced Centrus jobs at the former Piketon atomic plant would certainly help, and are close enough.
Fannon said that if the glove company rehires more former Pixelle workers, that would be the best resolution. He said he hopes they call back as many as they can. The workers know the mill, the industrial setting, and would be great employees.
But he pointed out that U.S. Medical Glove hasn’t reached out wholeheartedly – so far they have hired only for short-term work. Fannon said the 64 employees that were said to have been rehired by that point were not full time – they were for cleaning and painting, hurry jobs…though he admitted better jobs may be coming.
Fannon said the union is transitioning out because there will be no more union employees, since the glove company is non-union – the local chapter will be suspended or put on hold. He said there were maybe 18 Pixelle employees left, even with the new ownership – set to be laid off on Friday.
But, he said union officers are still helping employees. The union hall is at 553 West 4th Street on the Carlisle hilltop.
Hear Fannon explain how he is participating with the ‘paper mill task force’ on the $5.5M employee assistance fund from the sale in a side story and in the below video interview, and learn more in the story on the task force discussion.
