On Wednesday, Mack Trucks has said that it is planning to lay 305 employees off in the next month at their assembly plant at the Lower Macungie Township as the market of heavy-duty trucks had swung in a downward pattern.
This would be representing close to 13% of the payroll of the plant which was 2,400 people who engage themselves in the assembling of all the Mack Trucks built in the market of North America.
Christopher Heffner who is the spokesperson for Mack has said that the company is going to be able to offer the voluntary layoff to close to 75 people who were among the 305 who were being laid off. The layoffs are going to be effective post the closing of business of 28th February as per him.
Heffner has said that they regret having to reach a position where this action has to be taken but they are operating in a market that is cyclical and after the two years where they had extremely good sales, they are required to adapt to the reduction in demand. He also noted that the company is expecting the truck market in North America to be down by 30% this year approximately.
Employees had been informed of this news on Wednesday. The internal newsletter had been given to the employees and had indicated that the production adjustment could have caused the layoff to be 400 people. But the company had agreed with the officials of UAW for reducing this blow and laying off 305 people instead.
Heffner has said that the support meetings are going to be provided for all the employees who have been affected.