James Kincaid, a trona worker from Kansas, had a whirlwind fall, marked by a major life change and unexpected job loss, Wyoming Public Media reports.
After moving his family nearly 1,000 miles to Green River, Wyoming, Kincaid began working at Genesis Alkali, one of the world’s largest soda ash producers. He started his new job on October 7, and just weeks later, on October 30, he and his wife bought a house in Sweetwater County.
However, just a few days after settling into their new home, Kincaid and 29 other employees were informed of layoffs. On November 5, Genesis Alkali announced that they would be letting go of a portion of their workforce due to a downturn in the soda ash market. The layoffs affected three percent of the company’s 1,000 employees, with Kincaid and his colleagues working their final shifts on December 6.
Kincaid expressed disappointment over the timing of the layoffs, noting that he had relocated his family for what he believed was a long-term career opportunity, not just a temporary job.
“You throw a football and find a job anywhere,” he said. “I feel duped about making that trip out here, and it leaves a bad taste, bad feeling in my gut.”
Soda ash, Wyoming’s largest export, is used in products like baking soda and glass, and is derived from the mineral trona, which is mined in Sweetwater County. Genesis Alkali explained that the layoffs were due to a drop in soda ash prices. The average US export price for soda ash fell by about $70 per metric ton from the previous year. However, production levels in Wyoming and nationwide were higher in August 2024 compared to the same time the previous year, despite decreased consumption of US soda ash.
For workers like Kincaid, the sudden layoffs raised questions about the company’s hiring and firing practices.
“They made it seem like it happened overnight,” he said. “And it’s not something that happens overnight, I promise you that.”
Genesis Alkali did not comment on the timing of the hirings or the layoffs.
Prior to the layoff, Kincaid was earning about $45 an hour. Now, he’s focused on finding a new job to support his family, as they enjoy living in Sweetwater County and are reluctant to move again. Kincaid has applied for positions with other local companies, including Tata Chemicals, another soda ash producer in the area.
“With my skill set, I think I can find something similar,” he said. “It may take me a minute or two, may take me a couple part-time jobs to get there, but I’ll get there.”
One of Kincaid’s main motivations is seeing his two children back in Kansas for Christmas.
“The only thing that’s going through my head right now is to get back on my feet to where I can see my kids for Christmas,” he said.
While it’s possible that Genesis could rehire the laid-off workers if the soda ash market improves, Kincaid is not relying on that possibility. Local union president Marshal Cummings, who represents about 700 Genesis Alkali workers, has been negotiating with the company in an effort to offer buyouts instead of layoffs and to get workers like Kincaid rehired.
“If this is the reputation that you’re building, it’s going to be hard to get there,” Cummings said about the company’s hiring and layoff practices.
As of now, Genesis Alkali has not responded to inquiries about the possibility of rehiring laid-off workers.
