MOUNT VERNON — Rolls-Royce announced the layoff of 57 union laborers on Friday.
Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis confirmed he had been advised of impending layoffs at Rolls-Royce.
“I was told about it,” he told the News. “I didn’t get a specific number but I was told it would be somewhere between 50 and 60.”
Mavis said the news was bad for the families involved and for the city itself.
“My first thought was that it was coupled with the approximately 150 that were laid off earlier this year,” he added. “The concern we have is another 60 people are out of work that makes it difficult for the families involved. And it complicates our efforts in the community to keep our economy rolling. From the city’s perspective it will impact our city income tax collections. As we approach the 2012 budget, we will have to be aware of the fact that these folks are laid off. I did not hear if these were temporary or not. As I understand it all of these are from the assembly ranks. So if orders have not come in and work is not scheduled they clearly don’t need all the workers.”
Mavis said any mayor would be concerned about layoffs like these and the impact it would have on the families.
“But it’s not like a company moved out of town,” he said. “These workers should come back and even though it isn’t a major one like TRW leaving town, Rolls-Royce is still a viable part of the community. What we have to do is deal with this temporary setback.”
Attempts to get comment from Rolls were unsuccessful.
