Layoffs Cast Pall Over Iowa
540 Layoffs At Tama Meat Plant
KWWL.com
Shocking News Out of Tama
540 eastern Iowa meatcutters are out of a job. Iowa Quality Beef in Tama will suspend operations on Friday.
As plant
workers leave for home, they deal with a lot of uncertainty. The
company calls it a temporary layoff and the plant will stop all
operations. The president of Iowa Quality Beef says the cattle market
isn't good because of the Mad Cow Disease scare. And because of that,
there's less demand. Countries like Japan and Korea aren't accepting
beef from the U.S.
Ward Wehrman is an Iowa Quality Beef employee and says, “It's been kinda slow and we were all wondering if it was flying.”
The
plant is the second largest employer in Tama County. Its closing is a
major blow to the economy and a big surprise for many workers. Simon
Trevino is another plant employee and says, “How am I gonna pay my
bills? I got two checks coming for this week, next week, and that's it.
Then I got to go file for unemployment or look for other work.”
(more)
Layoffs near for Oakdale
Iowa City Press-Citizen
OAKDALE
— Layoffs are imminent at the Iowa Medical and Classifica-tion Center
and could number up to 35 employees, the president of the union
representing a majority of the prison's employees said Tuesday.
…”(Today)
is going to be our first step. We're getting together local legislators
here to discuss what it (the layoffs) would do to us and our safety and
go that route,” Hathaway said. “Then, we have a meeting Friday with all
our membership and we'll just go from there.”
Hathaway
represents about 200 of the 320-person work force at the Oakdale
prison. It is not yet known what employees will be losing their jobs.
Hathaway said he represents all the correctional officers, clerical
workers and “blue-collar” workers.
As of
April, Oakdale had lost 23 permanent positions in the past two years
with seven current vacancies and two staff members serving in the
military. Hathaway said the prison has since lost more positions, but
he declined to say how many until today's press conference.
(more)
Dubuque Furniture Maker Lays Off Workers
Des Moines Register
A
Flexsteel Industries Inc. spokesman says the layoff of 50 employees at
its Dubuque plant isn't permanent, but a union leader says those jobs
will be transferred to another state.
On
Monday, the furniture maker laid off 27 employees in its Dubuque
upholstery division. Another 19 employees found out Wednesday that they
will lose their jobs early next week.
Flexsteel
spokesman Tom Baldwin said that retirements and increased business
levels could bring back job opportunities for some of the displaced
workers.
Baldwin
said Flexsteel, which announced in June it would shut down an
upholstery production line at the Dubuque plant, is trying to
streamline production efficiencies at its seven U.S. factories.
(more)
Working Condition Complaints Hit Record High at UI Due to Layoffs
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Worries
about budget cuts at the University of Iowa are causing feelings of
frustration and driving a record number of complaints related to
working conditions, according to the UI Office of the Ombudsperson.
In a
report released Wednesday, the number of new complaints in 2003-04
totaled 409. That is 106, or 35 percent, more complaints than last year.
…Recent
layoffs include 17 UI employees in June, followed by 31 layoffs at
University Hospitals in July. Employees now are waiting for future cuts.
(more)
Citigroup Announces Iowa Layoffs
IslandPacket.com
DES
MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Citigroup Inc. will close a credit customer service
center in suburban Des Moines next year, laying off 450 workers, as the
New York-based financial services giant continues to slash jobs
following last year's purchase of Sears' credit and financial services
arm.
The
workers at the West Des Moines center process credit applications and
accounts and contact cardholders about payments. Their work is expected
to be transferred to other Citigroup locations by the second quarter of
2005, the company said.
(more)
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