Utah firm targets 30 new union jobs in Green River as WE Soda cuts 350

Residents of Green River, Wyoming, will see a new commercial mechanical contractor open an office in the area within the next six months. BCS Mechanical, based in Utah, plans to hire between 20 and 30 employees. These positions are union jobs with pay and benefits that match those found in the local mining industry. The move comes as the WE Soda plant prepares to eliminate 350 jobs over the next two years.

Chad Hustad, president of BCS Mechanical, confirmed the expansion to the Cowboy State Daily on Thursday. The company began this process about a month ago when it bid on a chiller project for a local school. BCS won that bid on Wednesday. Hustad said the company moved up its timeline after WE Soda announced the layoffs last week.

Locals had raised concerns that an out-of-state company might bring in outside workers. Hustad said that is not the plan. “Our goal is to keep local people doing projects, not bringing in outside help. We want to keep all the work in Wyoming,” he said. BCS has already hired Strat Friel to lead the expansion in southwest Wyoming. Friel is a former engineer at the FMC Trona Mine and a local resident.

Hustad noted that Friel knows many of the employees facing layoffs. “He knows a lot of the people getting laid off,” Hustad said. “It’s very personal to him.” BCS is currently looking for an office location in Green River or Rock Springs. The company may also build its own facility.

The firm is bidding aggressively on future projects to secure work for its new staff. Hustad said BCS is working with unions to train workers for various roles. This includes training some of the employees who are losing their jobs at the mines. “We’re working with the unions to figure out how to train everybody,” Hustad said.

On Thursday, Hustad signed an agreement with the Plumbers and Pipefitters union in Cheyenne. BCS is also coordinating with the Steelworkers and other area unions. Hustad said the company aims to offer good pay, vacations, and work-life balance. “I’ll take less profit in order to give people a good life,” he said.

Marshal Cummings, president of United Steelworkers Local 13214, represents the WE Soda workers. He had not heard of the BCS expansion before the announcement. However, he said any new union business is a positive development for Sweetwater County. Cummings is still seeking federal help to keep the mine open. He met with U.S. Sen. John Barrasso on Wednesday and plans to meet with other elected officials in the coming days.

Sweetwater County Commissioner Taylor Jones said he was not previously aware of the BCS plans. He noted that the anxiety among miners and their families has increased since the layoff announcement. Jones warned that the mass layoffs will affect other businesses in the county. “It reaches far into the county not just one or two towns,” Jones said.