Gov. Walker: Chart layoffs don’t reflect state’s economic climate

SPARTA, Wis. (WKBT) — While in Sparta Monday for a bill signing, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker also commented on another round of mass layoffs at Chart Industries in La Crosse.

The chemical company is planning to lay off more than 100 employees in La Crosse before the end of the year.

It’s the fifth round of layoffs announced at Chart in the past 12 months.

The company says the latest round is due to unexpected schedule delays to orders currently in a backlog.

Governor Walker, who’s administration visited the company in September, says Chart’s struggles do not reflect  the current economic climate in Wisconsin.     

“Obviously anytime there’s an announcement where someone’s reducing their employment that’s of concern to us, but we’ve seen there’s far more examples of gaining jobs than losing jobs and we want to build off of that in the coming year,” said Gov. Walker.

The governor says in the past year Wisconsin has netted 43,000 new jobs.