Westport lays off workers
By IBI Magazine
Westport Shipyard last week told local news media that it had laid off workers. But the Washington-based yacht builder did not say how many. The company faxed a letter to the Peninsula Daily News confirming layoffs at a plant in Port Angeles near the airport. The fax attributed the downsizing to reduced demand for yachts. "While the number of employees affected by today's actions is small relative to our total employment, the impact on each individual is very significant," the statement said. "These are people that are caught up in the impacts of the economic downturn. This is a regrettable situation." A woman who had lost her job told the paper that she was in a group of 35 workers who were laid off. The company made a similar statement in January after an unidentified number of workers were laid off from Westport's cabinet shop. There were earlier layoffs in June. A second facility in Port Angeles on Marine Drive was not impacted by the layoffs. Westport General Manager Phil Beirnes told the paper earlier this month that the Marine Drive facility was fully staff. Three yachts are in production. He also said Westport is bidding on Coast Guard vessel contracts in order to expand its business. As of February 2009, according to the paper, the cabinet shop had 274 workers, and the yacht building facility had 299 workers. The company declined to give the paper updated figures.
(15 March 2010)
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