Perdue Farms has confirmed plans to eliminate the second shift at its Washington, Indiana, turkey processing facility, a move that will result in the permanent layoff of 293 employees beginning October 10.
The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with federal officials and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, formally notifying workers of their last work date and separation date. According to the filings, affected employees will continue to receive pay and benefits through November 2, provided they are not terminated for cause or leave voluntarily prior to that date.
While the WARN notice did not cite specific causes, Perdue has since pointed to multiple challenges shaping the decision. A company spokesperson told industry publication Meat+Poultry that “changes in consumer demand, decreasing turkey flocks, and how we produce and supply our products have impacted the Washington operations in recent years, making the change to one production shift necessary to achieve operational efficiencies.”…