The closure of East West Manufacturing in Boston in June has left 51 workers, many of whom are Chinese immigrants, uncertain about their financial and career prospects – and with no severance.

“I feel so helpless and don’t know what to do right now,” one former employee, Mandy, told the Sampan. She asked not to use her last name. “Now I get unemployment benefits, but I don’t know so much English and I need someone to fill out some forms for me every week.”

Mandy is one of many of the ex-workers whose English abilities are limited and who had for years depended on work at the manufacturing company.

East West Manufacturing is a global manufacturing services company based in Atlanta with locations worldwide that offer design, engineering, and distribution services. The Boston branch had served as an innovation hub for medical, military, industrial, and commercial industries. Boston’s closure marks the company’s third facility to shut down after two operations in North Carolina laid off a total of more than 200 workers in the spring.

“It is not easy to get another job since I am getting older. I don’t know so much English too. It feels like [I] don’t know what to do,” Mandy said. Workers like her note their dedication to the company through the pandemic, when employees showed up for work on-site.

Although she said the company’s human resources department was able to guide and answer some of her questions about the layoffs, Mandy, who worked at the company since 2012, expressed increasing concern her likelihood of getting a new job, and about being terminated without severance, despite 12 years on the job.

Her colleague, Wai Ming Kam, who devoted 14 years to East West, is now considering retiring altogether.
At 65 years old, Kam said he will likely have to rely on public benefits.

“I am living in low-income housing now. Since my income got lower, my rent also got cut off. On the other hand, my unemployment benefits … can also help me. … But for someone who is (younger), they may have a bigger impact.”

Facing challenges of financial instability and job uncertainty, workers have demanded East West Manufacturing to provide one week of severance pay for every year of service corresponding to the worker’s time at the company. The workers have gained attention from advocates and politicians, and rallied for support from the Boston City Council.

Boston City Council members have urged East West Manufacturing to provide workers with appropriate severance pay and benefits. In a letter addressed to East West Manufacturing Management, City Councilor Ed Flynn requested the company “provide severance pay and resources to support workers in securing new employment.”

Community organizations and other advocacy groups have also voiced their support, joining the rallies led by laid off workers to protest against what they call a lack of support from East West Manufacturing. Among them included the Greater Boston Labor Council, which in a post on X claimed that the workers’ demands were “modest” and that “these workers manufactured safety equipment during the pandemic and deserve respect.” The Chinese Progressive Association, a grassroots community organization committed to promoting the equality and empowerment of the Chinese community, has helped organize rallies with workers prior to the facility’s closing date, demanding East West to respond to the workers’ needs.

East West Manufacturing has not returned Sampan’s request for comment.

The Boston workforce at East West is not unionized, making it harder to leverage with the company for a demand on severance pay. In Massachusetts, the workers will be eligible for unemployment insurance. The Wage Act also guarantees terminated employees to receive the full amount of owed wages on the day of discharge from the employer. But there is no requirement for an employer to offer workers severance pay if it is not explicitly stated in the employment contract.

At this moment, East West Manufacturing remains active in Massachusetts at its North Andover site. Mass Robotics, an independent robotics hub sharing the same building with the recently closed East West facility in Boston, is considering expanding its headquarters by occupying the space. Four days after the Boston facility’s closure, East West Manufacturing announced a partnership with Needham-based software and design company ECM PCB Stator Tech. This collaboration will combine the strengths of both companies, helping clients to optimize electrical systems.