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KOA Speer offering voluntary layoff for December

By JOELLEN CHESNUT
Era Reporter
joellen@bradfordera.com

KOA Speer has offered employees a voluntary layoff for the month of December.

According to Lance Eastman, KOA Speer’s chief financial officer, the layoff is connected to the fact that many KOA customers will be experiencing shutdowns during December.

“Every year in November, we have an employee meeting. We held that meeting last Wednesday, and at the meeting we announced we would consider requests for voluntary layoff in the month of December,” Eastman explained. “We did that in response to a number of notices received from our customers, primarily automotive customers, that they will be shutting down for portions of the month.”

Eastman explained there is no set number for this layoff; it will depend on who volunteers.

“We asked who might be interested. We have to look at staffing and see if we can accommodate those who show interest,” Eastman continued.

The layoff is not expected to extend into next year.

“We are offering the layoff only for December. We expect to see a pickup again in January,” Eastman said. “However, everything is volatile and we don’t know what will happen. We can only see what’s happening today.”

The auto industry is requesting assistance from the government, with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler LLC requesting a $25 billion bailout plan. General Motors is planning to extend its holiday shutdown and make changes in production at five plants still producing vehicles. Both General Motors and Ford are also taking a look at how their company executives travel, as executives arrived in Washington to request aid aboard leased private jets.

Two $25 billion proposals for aid have already been voted down, with others still under review.

In an attempt to help stabilize the automakers and in light of the economic upheaval, several plants have been shut down in the last two months.

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