Firm buys Chicago plant where workers held sit-in

A union representative says the Chicago windows plant that drew national attention last year when its workers were abruptly laid off is reopening.

The union said Thursday that a green-oriented windows manufacturer purchased Republic Windows and Doors.

United Electrical Workers spokesman Mark Meinster says it has an agreement with the company in which all laid-off workers will be offered jobs at the reopened plant.

Meinster says workers are ecstatic.

In December, Republic's owners gave workers just a few days' notice before firing them. Around 200 occupied the plant for nearly a week until Republic agreed to demands for severance and accrued vacation pay.

The plant's new owner, Sunnyvale, California-based Serious Materials, hasn't returned calls seeking comment.