U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn and Minnesota State Rep. Greg Davids, a Preston Republican, sent a letter Wednesday to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, Rawlings Sporting Goods President and CEO Michael Zlaket, and Seidler Equity Partners Robert Seidler, Peter Seidler and Eric Kutsenda expressing their concern with the decision to close the Miken Sports plant in Caledonia and move manufacturing jobs to China. Said Hagedorn in a statement: “The intent to shut down the Miken Sports plant in Caledonia and outsource jobs to communist China is completely egregious. Miken has been a part of Caledonia’s community for over 20 years and this decision will result in significant job and wealth losses in southeast Minnesota.
“We are urging MLB, Rawlings Sporting Goods, and Seidler Equity Partners to reconsider this move and visit Caledonia to see firsthand the impact this decision will have on this community. Baseball is America’s national past time, and this brand should be supported by American products made right here at home. We believe American workers, their families and our communities should always come first.”
“The decision to move nearly a hundred jobs from Caledonia to China is appalling,” Davids added. “Miken Sports has been an important industry in Caledonia for decades, and there really is no good reason to sacrifice American jobs that are contributing to America’s Pastime.”
