Genie cuts 80 jobs in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — As part of Genie’s fourth round of employee cutbacks, the aerial lift company is letting go roughly 80 Moses Lake plant employees and reducing company executives’ salaries, the company announced Wednesday.

The job reductions are part of an 8 percent (or 300 jobs) company wide staffing reduction and affect the areas of management and plant production in Moses Lake, said Genie spokesperson Melinda Zimmerman-Smith.

Roughly 180 jobs were cut in Genie’s Redmond, Wash., plant.

The economic uncertainty caused Genie’s customers to rethink their purchasing and most have reduced their capital expenditure forecast, she explained.

Company executives’ compensation costs will be decreased for 2009, but further details have not been determined.

The Moses Lake plant has temporary closures scheduled for February. She declined to release further details for competitive reasons.

The company offers severance benefits to affected employees.

Despite the difficult situation, “We are continually impressed by the professionalism and quality our employees in Moses Lake show,” she said.

The new employee head count in Moses Lake is now about 400 people.

Before Wednesday’s job cuts, about 60 employees company wide took advantage of a voluntary exit program.

The company will continue to provide the level of service customers have come to expect for 42 years, she added.