job cuts at local Pilgrim’s Pride plant
posted by Brent FinneganTwo weeks ago, Gxeremio wrote about the cutbacks at Pilgrim’s Pride, and wondered if any local Pilgrim’s facilities were “being reviewed” to be downsized.
This evening, WHSV reports that 16 workers were laid off at the Timberville plant today.
posted: March 24th, 2008 by Brent Finnegan
filed under economy, news & meta-news.
Comments: 6
Comments
Comment from Gxeremio
Time: March 24, 2008, 8:22 pm
It’s unclear at this time if the layoffs in Timberville were directly connected to the New Oxford plant being sold…the story from WHSV was poorly researched and worded. I’m sure there will be corrections/clarifications forthcoming. I’m not even sure whether they can even be called layoffs since the company representative said, “We have offered a position to everyone affected somewhere else in the company.”
Comment from Mary Lou
Time: March 24, 2008, 10:43 pm
Read the comments at whsv.com below the story. It doesn’t seem like the laid off workers were “offered a position.”
Comment from finnegan
Time: March 25, 2008, 8:57 am
I agree, Gxeremio. It is poorly written. And if the commenters are correct, at least one part of their story is false.
Comment from Phil C.
Time: March 25, 2008, 1:06 pm
Gxeremio, forgive me for not following this story…is the New Oxford plant in New Oxford, PA?
Comment from Gxeremio
Time: March 25, 2008, 2:52 pm
Yes, that’s New Oxford PA that was sold to another company. It was the last turkey operation in the Pilgrim’s corporation so now they are entirely a chicken company.
I just spoke to Karla Harvill from Pilgrim’s and she confirmed that 16 positions were eliminated, none having to do with the New Oxford plant sale nor the Siler City plant shutdown. She said some of the jobs (such as 4 driver jobs and some supervisory positions) were related to merging operations, while others (such as jobs on “catch teams”) were eliminated as in-house jobs and will be filled by contractors. She said everyone was offered other positions in the company, though she added that some of the offers were not lateral moves, such as offering drivers jobs on the plant floors which would be a step down. She said this was a result of cost-cutting but emphasized that just because 16 positions are being eliminated doesn’t mean 16 employees are being let go. I asked if any administrative positions in the corporate office in Timberville would be eliminated because of the plants in New Oxford and Siler City and she said no, that is not the plan at this time.
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