OUR COUNTY
D. GARY DAVIS
COUNTY MAYOR
Celebrating Labor Day and Bradley County’s Workforce
Labor Day in America is traditionally the symbolic end of summer. Some areas celebrate with parades, community picnics, barbecues and fireworks displays. Others like to spend the day on the water with family and friends.
Regardless of how you choose to spend this holiday, it’s a good time to reflect upon the economic and social achievements of the American worker, and especially those in Bradley County. Our workforce has gone through many changes in the last century. We are far removed from the days of the foundries and textile mills which made Bradley County an industrial center. But these jobs fed our families, built our schools and churches and laid the groundwork for the future. Our economy, both nationally and locally, is making an unprecedented transition into highly-skilled, information-based industries. Bradley County workers are ready.
Our City and County schools, Cleveland State Community College and Lee University continue to set the bar high to ensure that we have a trained and skilled workforce. Our community’s work ethic is among the best and the trainable workforce was one of the key elements in attracting Wacker Chemie to Bradley County. Wacker’s $1 billion investment near Exit 33 on I-75 brings with it the prospect of 500 to 600 good paying hi-tech jobs. The new GE lighting distribution center located on Lauderdale Highway now has 340 employees. Whirlpool’s decision in 2009 to expand its appliance manufacturing plant in Cleveland not only saved hundreds of jobs but created about 500 new jobs. Through regional cooperation, Volkswagen chose to locate its North American headquarters and manufacturing plant in Hamilton County at Exit 9, just about 10-miles from the Bradley County line. VW vendors are now looking at Bradley County as a place to locate their supply depots and manufacturing facilities. This will potentially create hundreds of additional jobs for Bradley County citizens. As Mayor, I give a lot of credit for these successes to the Bradley County worker.
Even though the economy is down and unemployment is up across the country, Bradley County has not felt the recession’s impact as severe as some areas in Tennessee. Several factors have combined to help our community weather this economic storm. One of them is our pool of excellent workers. It is the working men and women who built Bradley County and this nation. Their struggles and achievements deserve a central place in a people’s history of this country.
Former President George W. Bush said it best; "on a level playing field, no one can out produce or out compete the American Worker.”
As we face the challenges of recovering from a recession and attracting quality jobs and global industries to Bradley County, I put my faith in the abilities and work ethic of this community’s outstanding workforce. You are the backbone of the local and national economy.
So as we look forward to a three day weekend with a family getaway, a cookout, a ball game or a day on the lake, take a moment to salute the American worker for all they do for our country. This is your holiday… and I salute you. You are one of the main reasons that Bradley County is Tennessee at its best.
For information about Bradley County Government and services visit our interactive website at www.bradleyco.net