Freightliner Workers Vote to Avoid Layoffs at N.C. Plant

Union members at a Freightliner plant in North Carolina have agreed to alternate lay-off weeks between first and second shifts, a move that will save about 1,500 jobs, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

The vote was held Saturday, when about 89% of those participating voted to go with alternate weeks. Workers will maintain full benefits, a union official told AP.

Freightliner had filed a notice in May with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, giving the state a required 60-day notice of a pending “mass layoff” scheduled to occur July 10, AP said. The alternate work schedule, which starts July 16, avoids the layoffs.

The company notified state officials of the change, AP said.

Freightliner laid off 1,180 workers April 1. If the July layoff of 1,489 people had occurred, anyone hired on or after Aug. 19, 1996, would have lost their job, AP reported.

Freightliner, the market leading heavy-truck maker in North America, said late last year that it would lay off as many as 4,000 workers in North America this year because of reduced big rig demand due to new emissions standards that took effect in January.

Freightliner LLC, which is owned by DaimlerChrysler, includes the Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star brands of heavy trucks.