Because of the economic slowdown, another Emporia manufacturing company has announced layoffs.
Glendo Corp. President D.J. Glaser said the layoffs started in January and continued for a couple of weeks.
Glaser said a couple of the positions were part-time and a couple were full-time.
“We go by full-time equivalence,” Glaser said, “so you might have four full-time people and two people at half-time, so that equals 6 people but five full-time equivalents.”
The company, which has been manufacturing tools and machinery for jewelry and engraving in Emporia since 1977, has also cut the salaries of the remaining employees.
“We did have a wage reduction,” Glaser said. “I cut my own wages more than twice anybody here, and I cut my own wages first.”
Glaser said that small businesses are having to make cuts to stay viable “and not end up like General Motors.”
“Glendo is a manufacturing company,” he said, “and if you look at what’s happening in the manufacturing world, a lot of companies are announcing layoffs. It’s a nationwide thing.”
Glaser said that in his 32 years in business he has never seen a slowdown this fast of this magnitude.
“If someone were to say that things would pick up by this fall, there probably wouldn’t have been any layoffs,” Glaser said. “You’ll weather some of that stuff because your workforce is trained and valuable. The problem is that the best minds are moving that target out further and further, and so while you’re making these decisions the data gets even more depressing.”
Glaser said 2008 started out to be such a good year the company was starting to entertain thoughts of expansion. But the fourth quarter was devastating, he said, especially by the end of the year.
“It happened in about 60 days,” Glaser said. “Just like that.”
The layoffs come after the company received a loan last month from the city that was meant to purchase a new piece of equipment and create new positions. Glaser said the details of that loan were worked out before the economy started its tailspin, and the job positions related to the machine are full-time and have not been cut.
“It’s still our intention to meet the requirements” of that loan, Glaser said. “... I want people to understand something: It’s not a grant, it’s a loan.”
Glaser said the company plans to bring back the employees who have been affected by the cuts as soon as the economy turns around.
unbelievable1 (anonymous) says...
As a person affected by the Glendo Corp lay offs I would like to address some items in this article. First, there have been 7 full-time equivalents laid off and 2 part time...by Mr. Glaser's calculations that would be 8 "full-time equivalents"...not 5 as he is quoted in the article. Second, if your employees are "valuable" then don't call them "full-time equivalents". We are the people making the cogs of your wheel turn daily and without whom Glendo Corp would not survive. Third, absolutely the loan was a loan and not a grant. BUT, the loan came with some nice incentives that benefit Glendo Corp and in turn Glendo Corp was to create jobs to benefit our community. Glendo Corp is not holding up their agreement with the city and thus should forfeit the interest break received on that loan and be required to pay back the full amount with a fair market interest rate. And fourth, all the employees that were laid off were told it was a permanent lay off. There was no mention of bringing back any of the employees being affected by the lay off. Employees that had dedicated years (one of which had over 25 yrs and is only 2 yrs from retirement and another that is currently in a work comp situation for an on the job injury) were PERMANENTLY terminated.
February 21, 2009 at 3:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WILLIAM_A (anonymous) says...
Unbelivable
Things may have changed , but I was laid off once while on work comp.
I spoke with the state about that and I was told they can do that but they must continue to pay work comp benifets until you are released to return to work by the Dr. Then they should then be laid off and start drawing unemployment.
February 21, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ccoe66801 (anonymous) says...
I am so sorry for those of you at Glendo. This is only the beginning though. I'm quite surprised that the Gazette isn't covering the massive layoff about to take place at Newman's. The hospital is proposing to lop off it's appendages - Home Health, Recovery Road and the Rehab unit.This will be devastating to our community! Not only dozens of more people laid off, but the services we won't have in the community. A friend of mine was in the rehab unit and had home health - I can't imagine what it would have been like if he hadn't had those services here in our community. Yes there is another home health service, but not rehab. The family would have had multiple trips back and forth from Wichita - what a hardship! This is serious. I know the hospital has to balance their budget, but I'm sure there are other areas to cut than valuable services this community needs.
February 22, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
phiber101 (anonymous) says...
Newmans Hospital has been laying off pretty regular since October 08. They sent a ton of nurses to "as needed" which meant that they were only getting a few hours per paycheck, hardly enough to pay their bills. I really won't say it's as much of the economy as the crappy health care they provide. Most people anymore would rather drive the hour to Topeka or 1 1/2 hrs to Wichita to get proper health care (unless it's life or death in which Newmans will just life flight them out). Sorry for going off subject, but the economy and jobs here in Emporia are darn near rock bottom. I've been on unemployment since November 08.
February 22, 2009 at 10:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Walts37 (anonymous) says...
All Union bas hers should read the story Posted by unbelievable1, this story would not happen in a good Union shop. jmo. I am so sorry for the 25 year man with no where to go with his problem.
February 22, 2009 at 10:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pmh61 (Won Ton) says...
Yea I found a job finally at Radio Shack took me just under a year to get a new job, it is hard to find one. And due to poor management (Manager is liar and will tell you anything to make a cell phone sell it is sad) didn't get to keep the one there so UE again. Thinking I am going to have to go back west again. I had a good paying job I just moved closer to I could be around friends and family.
February 23, 2009 at 11:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
pmh61;
better stay here with the job you have then to go west coast. Things are worse there.
Steve
February 23, 2009 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fosho (anonymous) says...
Cutting your own wages more than twice as much as anyone else, my that was selfless of you. Right up there with the likes of GM CEO Rick Wagoner accepting only $1 as his annual salary. I'm sure you're both really feeling the financial effects of these tough times. Get real! Cutting your salary by twice as much, how about not taking out loans for equipment that's now not running. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a layoff mean you intend to rehire these people if business picks up? Unbelievable indicated this was a permanent firing, not a layoff. Sounds like house keeping to me. It will be interesting to see how many of them get a call back if Glendo's business does turn around.
February 25, 2009 at 9:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
unbelievable1 (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
March 3, 2009 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink )