Story Published:
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:09 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Dec 18, 2008 at 11:13 PM CDT
Caterpillar is indefinitely laying off more than 800 workers at its Mossville plant starting February 23rd.
Company spokesman Jim Dugan said the layoffs can be blamed on a downturn in the economy: a decrease in orders for on–highway truck engines made in Mossville.
"An indefinite layoff by definition has a longer–term connotation. These employees will retain their right to move to other positions in the Peoria facility at other facilities."...
While Caterpillar blamed today's layoffs on an economic downturn, it comes as Texas officials said 14–hundred Caterpillar jobs were coming to a new facility to that state.
The Texas plant would go on line in 2011.
That includes production which has been at Mossville and Decatur.
Dugan said: "The announcement today out of Texas is related to the engine facility in Mossville.
I asked him if it was possible the jobs would never return to Mossville.
His answer: " "Well –we don't know"
Dugan spoke about the difficulty of the decision to layoff 814 employees...
.
These are very difficult decisions to make. It's not an easy decision and we understand it's disruptive to our employees.
Everybody here understands that".
Dugan said the company is exploring options about what to do with the Mossville facility.
