BUSTI - On Monday, Cummins Engine announced it will be laying off at least 400 employees at the start of the year because of decreased demand.
Mark Land, Cummins Engine corporate communications executive director, said the company has filed a New York State Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification, which requires employers to provide 90 days notice prior to a plant closing, mass layoff or relocation occurring on or after Feb. 1.
Land said the company will layoff between 400 and 450 employees come January. Land said because of new emission standards being enacted in January the company expects to go from making 500 engines a day right now to only 100 a day. However, he said once Cummins customers need more engines toward the second half of 2010, he expects most of the employees to be called back to work.
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Land said most of the layoffs will occur among the workforce, which is around 1,100 at the Busti plant. Land said management has discussed the layoff situation with the workforce prior to the notice being filed Monday.
Cummins officials are hoping a large majority of the employees laid off will be part of a voluntary company program.