www.ditchwitch.com shortens work week for some employees

Ditch Witch shortens work week for some
Economy Staggered schedule to continue into March, company says
PERRY — For the second time this year, Ditch Witch has furloughed its hourly employees for a week to trim costs.

The company that builds underground construction equipment said the furloughs are in response to the economy. This week, Monday was observed as a holiday for President’s Day, and employees not working the rest of the week will receive unemployment benefits, the company said in a news release.

Ditch Witch employs 1,200, with 896 hourly workers included in the temporary layoffs. A shortened work schedule will continue into March, where half the hourly employees will work the first and third weeks and the other half will work second and fourth weeks, said Dave Lamerton, Ditch Witch’s corporate services director.

"We have established this staggered work schedule, working with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, to ensure the demand of our product is met and keeping our valued employees working as many hours as business allows.”

Slowdowns at the company do affect the community, city manager Jim Davis said, but the impact isn’t detrimental. Financially, "they are 25 percent of our income,” he said, referring to the company’s utility payments.

Still, "Perry is in pretty good shape,” he said. And production at the com-pany normally slows this time of the year.

"We’ve got them on our minds,” Davis said. "We’re hoping this furlough will get them by right now.”

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