New Haven Independent

The company is now owned by a Belgian concern. USRAC (formerly the Winchester Repeating Arms Company) currently has 186 employees, down — way down — from a historic high of 15,000. Back in the day it seemed that every family in Newhallville, and other New Haven neighborhoods, had at least one member drawing a paycheck from the company.

(USRAC’s parent company cited declining demand for the guns as a reason for the closing and has had “very preliminary” discussions with a possible new buyer.)

State Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney said at Monday’s event that his dad worked there for 25 years — with time out for service in World War II, when his mom held down the family spot, helping to churn out armaments for the war.

“My dad was one of the activists who helped create the union in the 1950s,” Looney said, “and he was a union steward for several years before his retirement in the mid-60s, so this is a personal blow because of all the great history connected with Winchester over the years. I think we need to do all we can to salvage these jobs because we’ve had so much manufacturing erosion over the years.”

USRAC currently produces several models of Winchester sport rifles and shotguns at its facility bordering Science Park.

John Reynolds (in photo), president of Local 609 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, has worked at the plant more than 40 years. He also spoke at the news conference.

“We as a union did everything in our power to avoid this. We had concessions, we allowed jobs to leave that we definitely didn’t want to.” Now he feels that all the sacrifices the union made will be in vain. He said he hadn’t been planning on retiring any time soon, but would be forced into it if the plant shuts down.

In a statement regarding the announced closure, Mayor John DeStefano said the city is pursuing “possibilities for new ownership to keep this facility and its manufacturing jobs in New Haven, transitional packages for employees, recovery of tax forgiveness and abatements.”

Those giveaways to the company from the city and the state amounted to more than $15 million. (Click here to read the city’s press release detailing all that ultimately failed corporate welfare.)

DeStefano said other old companies are thriving in New Haven, and there’s no reason USRAC can’t continue here. “These companies are able to compete when they take advantage of their unique niche — in this case the gun, the Winchester — and take advantage of the best asset you could offer anyone, which is people who know how to do the job.”

City officials are continuing to meet with representatives of USRAC to try to come up with a solution that everyone can live with. Teddy Roosevelt, John Wayne, and the U.S. Cavalry would be pleased. But don’t ask Chief Sitting Bull or Geronimo for their blessing.

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