With the sudden closure of Rogue Ales and Spirits last week, workforce development groups, community partners and the state have activated a rapid response system to support affected workers.
Rogue closed pubs and shut down operations in Newport, Astoria, Salem and Portland. According to the state, around 60 employees total have been impacted.
Rogue has confirmed that all affected employees will receive wages and benefits owed them.
Rogue reportedly owes more than $500,000 to the Port of Newport, where it leased land for a large production facility, as well as around $30,000 in taxes to Lincoln County.
In Astoria, the company had leased space at the foot of Pier 39 for the last 19 years. Pier owner Floyd Holcom says the company owes him money as well.
Rogue was an iconic Oregon craft brewery that had lasted in the area for decades, said Kevin Leahy, the executive director of Clatsop Economic Development Resources, or CEDR, and the associate vice president for business, community and workforce development at Clatsop Community College.
While the state has seen closures of craft breweries over the years, “it’s still a very, very important industry and employer here in the county,” Leahy said, adding, “I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that it’s still significant as our economy continues to kind of reinvent itself.”
He expects Holcom will move quickly to find a new tenant for the space Rogue occupied at Pier 39. Holcom told KMUN he has already had several inquiries.
Leahy said Rogue’s closure caught everyone in the community off guard, including workers who were only informed of the closures Friday morning — the same morning Rogue shut down its facilities. Leahy says he will be part of helping to communicate to workers about resources available to them.
On Friday, there will be a rapid response information session to help workers navigate the transition. Topics covered include how to apply for unemployment insurance, services provided by WorkSource Oregon, job search tools, workshops and workforce programs, the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, food assistance programs and other community resources and information.
The information session will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Workers can attend in person at their local WorkSource Oregon Center. These centers are located in Newport and Seaside
Workers can also attend virtually by going tinyurl.com/RogueRRISvirtual.
For more information visit tinyurl.com/rogueRRIS
For questions or help, contact Katrina Sturgeon at (541) 921-4420