John Deere to lay off 50 more workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=221380

Klauer and Nordstrom also announce plans to slash jobs
BY TH STAFF

John Deere Dubuque Works laid off 50 manufacturing employees Thursday, following 25 job cuts in mid-September, as the unstable construction industry shakes up business at several local manufacturers.

Dubuque's Klauer Manufacturing also confirmed looming job cuts Thursday.

The layoffs at Dubuque Works impact production workers with the least seniority and will take effect Nov. 24. The plant now is down more than 150 employees since last year, with a total work force of 794 wage employees and 1,670 workers overall.

At Klauer Manufacturing Co., which has about 160 workers, employees have been participating in voluntary layoffs almost all summer, and permanent job cuts are expected in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, fashion retailer Nordstrom laid off 34 flex-force employees from its Dubuque distribution center last week.

The cuts comprised about half of the center's flex-force staff and narrowed the overall work force from 299 to 265 employees.

In addition to the job cuts, 32 full-time employees were given the option to take flex-force positions or face unemployment.

Brooke White, spokeswoman for the Seattle-based company said that the last day for those in the positions eliminated will be Nov. 21.