Seventy-five employees soon will be out of a job at Detroit Diesel, city officials announced Wednesday.
Mayor Jeff Longbine said he had received a WARN notice from the company announcing the job cuts would occur. The notice is required under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
“We are disappointed but understanding that it’s a difficult decision to make during these tough economic times,” Longbine said. “Our thoughts and our concerns are with the displaced workers and their families, and the remaining workers and management who have had to make these decisions.”
Longbine said the city’s residents are resilient, as proven by the community’s reaction to the Tyson layoffs last year.
“The city stands ready to assist the displaced workers and accompany them in any way we can,” he said.
Longbine said there was no indication when the affected employees would be let go.
Help for the employees could come in a number of forms, Longbine said, including training through Kansas Job Works, the Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Development Association.
“It’s early in the process,” Longbine said. “We don’t know when their last day of work will be, and so I think the first thing we have to do is we have to determine what the needs may be and what we have within our ability to serve those needs.”
Detroit Diesel officials could not be reached for comment.
barefootin (anonymous) says...
I hope everyone makes it through the tough times.
August 19, 2009 at 10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tallicamantw01 (anonymous) says...
October 19th is our last day. They told us even more layoffs are coming. Around 75 people total by the end of the year. I have worked for them for over 5 years What gets me is the company was telling us all along that things were looking better. This came as a total suprise to everyone.
August 20, 2009 at 4:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
I thought yesterdays paper said 45 people, I know it s tough finding good jobs right now, good luck with your future.
August 20, 2009 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.
August 20, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
deluvly1 (anonymous) says...
Lies. “We’re doing better. We’re getting busier. This facility is among our best…”
Lies and disregard for the people who make them what they are. Just like Modine all over again. How sad…for everyone, particularly for those who have in 10, 15, 20 years of their lives invested with this worm-infested company. No income, no health insurance, nothing but useless platitudes.
August 20, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
My wishes may come true. Soon there may be no Emporia for anyone to complain about. Thats when my master plan goes into effect. I will turn it into a modern ghost town amusement park. See the brand new haunted courthouse. See the delapidated apartments where actual people lived not 5 years ago. Ride the vacant beef plant ride.
I'll be rich I tell you.
August 20, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Looks like we are heading for one big welfare town. Wont be anything left for the mighty Commishs to tax!
August 20, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
What will this news do to the Citys CIP budget ?
Will it be spend foolishly as usual ?
Will it mean less foolish and unnecessary purchases and expenditures ?
Personally I doubt that this will affect the Budget plans at all, because there are certain people that want certain things and will undoubtedly get them, regardless of what this Citys economic future may look like !
I have said it before and I will say it again, Emporia is in serious trouble and now is not the time for foolish spending !
If you think that the loss of income for 75 people and their families, with possibly more job losses in the future, will mean that tax mil levys will decrease, you are living in a dream world ! Some say " Oh, don't worry Hills Pet Food is here and will start production soon ". This is true, but who knows what Hills future holds ! Noone knows what the future holds, all one can do is hope and pray the future will be better and brighter, as I do, especially for those who are, have been and are soon to be out of work !
The only way tax mil levys are going to decrease is to controll unnecessary and foolish spending by the Officials of the City !
And I personally saw much foolish and unnecessary expenditures in the 2010 City Budget !
And I quickly learned at the second budget meeting, that any opposition to certain foolish and unnecessary spending would be and was met with strong objections to certain foolish expenses by certain people who wanted certain things done without regard as to whether it was necessary and beneficial and cost !
August 20, 2009 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wirewatt (Ken Bazil) says...
The whole county is affected by these layoff's. They need to hold the expenditures for the county and not raise the mill levy at this time. They better hope the sales tax will provide some of the relief that it was lobbied for by the commissions both for the county and the city.
These people need our help and prayers to get them through the hard times that are ahead for them.
August 20, 2009 at 12:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Yeah its all the Democrats fault, Bush balanced the budget and Reagan reduced the deficit, and I have a bridge I would like to sell you!
August 20, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nks (anonymous) says...
This has been a good place to work for the most part. It completely blindsided people from the hourlies up to management.
The problem is we were sucked into the bigger coorporate world of Daimler.
We have shown DD Reman for years the determination and flexibility we obtain and we see where we ended up.
August 20, 2009 at 5 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
I feel really bad for the displaced workers, having to start over in this job market has to be a disheartening experience, perhaps the Hill's plant could hire some of these workers and off set some of this, and Emporia just keeps on losing jobs....
August 20, 2009 at 5:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
Let them eat cake
August 20, 2009 at 6:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Let them eat cake ? Thats what the down town bunch keeps saying
August 20, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
phiber101 (anonymous) says...
Off with your head OutsiderJ! hahahaha, just kidding of course. My mother has worked out there for 23 years and was told on her birthday (of all days) that she was one of the 75 people getting let go. She's just the age where it's another 9 years before she can get Social Security and I'm sure she'll have a hard time finding anything around here at the moment. These are very hard times and if it takes me selling everything I own just to keep afloat, that's what will be done. I truely hope that the economy takes an uphill turn and that foolish spending decreases to bring more money into our local economy, but I'm sure that's not going to happen for a few years - if ever. Emporia is my home, but I'm thinking it's nearly time to jump ship and head out.
August 20, 2009 at 9:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
booker5m,
Who are you referring to as the downtown bunch?
August 21, 2009 at 5:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kcfan (anonymous) says...
This is a sad loss for not only the employees but also the community as a whole. Detroit has been a wonderful company and great asset to the community. Unfortunatly I belive that this is a story that we will continue to see over and over again, just changing the names and numbers. So, when is the Gazette gonna break it's own story of the same nature?
August 21, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I may be wrong but I believe that cutting 75 jobs and people at DD is about half their work force, as I believe that they employee about 175 to 200 people !
August 21, 2009 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DieselDog (anonymous) says...
The people losing their jobs are they getting any type of compensation
August 27, 2009 at 5:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
There was a news article saying that kansas unemployment funds might dry up by the end of the year meaning the employers will have to pay the unemployment benefits.
August 27, 2009 at 6:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
barefoootin:
Who do you think pays for the premiums now?
If a company cuts employees due to finances, how would they have money to pay the ones they laid-off?
I'd like to find and read that article.
August 28, 2009 at 7:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
Kan. labor chief grilled about unemployment fund
Story by The Associated Press
4:07 p.m. Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Kansas' labor secretary is facing hostile questions from legislators about the state's dwindling unemployment benefits fund.
Labor Secretary Jim Garner appeared Tuesday before the House Appropriations Committee. Garner said his department could not have foreseen the trends that have shrunk the balance in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
The fund now holds less than $335 million, and the department expects it to run out of money by the end of the year. If that happens, Kansas businesses could be forced to pay unemployment taxes.
Republican legislators are now questioning rosier projections made by the Labor Department earlier this year. Rep. Jason Watkins of Wichita told Garner he or someone in his agency made mistakes and should be held accountable.
August 28, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Thanks barefootin,
Are you one of the effected workers at d.d.?
Do you know of any of them looking for part-time employment while searching for a replacement job?
Let me know, please?
August 28, 2009 at 10:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
No, I dont work there, but a friend left D.D. earlier in the year. I m really hoping everyone fares well in the future, the unemployment funds running out would be a disaster. Are you needing to hire a part time person?
August 28, 2009 at 4:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
Here's a bit of good news.
http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/55...
August 28, 2009 at 6:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefootin (anonymous) says...
heres more
http://www.ktka.com/news/2009/aug/25/...
August 29, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )