We welcome you to JobBank USA and hope your job hunting experience
is a pleasant one. We hope you find our resources useful.
October 10, 2007
Henry Co., VA - It's an area that is already struggling from job cuts. And Wednesday, Stanley Furniture in Henry County announced that they are cutting 250 positions. The layoffs will start this December.
Rumors started flying weeks ago that this might happen. That's kept a lot of people on edge wondering if they're the next to go.
Clyde Flannigan, Stanley Furniture Employee - "I'm safe for now but you never know."
After four years at Stanley Furniture, lately, Clyde Flannigan has wondered if his days are numbered.
Flannigan - "We've been hearing about it for two or three weeks now."
It's the talk of Stanleytown. A place where good, and bad news, travels fast.
Philip Helms, Local Store Owner - "People have been talking about it when they come in to buy food and stuff."
Store owner Philip Helms runs a service station and boat repair shop a couple of miles from Stanley. After major losses at Hooker and Bassett Furniture, he says this news wasn't shocking. But that doesn't mean it's easy to hear.
Helms - "That's difficult for the people because that's mainly what they've done their whole lives."
Jim Scheffer, CEO - "The most difficult decisions any manager makes are those that have to do with people, whether it's one person or 250."
But company officials say they had no choice. They say the furniture industry is going through its steepest, longest downturn in almost a decade.
Scheffer - "We think we may be in this for a while, I don't know, I can't predict the future."
Helms hopes his hometown can look to the future, and change for the better.
Helms - "It's hard to change, it really is but sometimes being forced into it is a good thing."
But for Flannigan, looking at things like that, isn't easy.
Flannigan - "I want my job and I'm sure everyone else at Stanley does too."
Company officials say they do consider seniority when deciding which positions are cut. Workers tell us they've heard that having a reprimand on your record is also a factor. Stanley Furniture employs about 1,300 people at their Martinsville and Stanleytown facilities.
Email This Page!