It is reported that Gerdau Macsteel will lay off 46 hourly workers at its Monroe mill with effect from January 16th 2009, largely due to the continuing auto industry slump. The plant makes bar quality steel mainly for automotive uses. It employs 452, so the layoffs affect about 10% of its total work force. The cutback represents about 14% of the 328 member hourly work force. No salaried workers are being laid off.

Mr James Scriven VP for human resources at Gerdau Macsteel said that "It's just business conditions that have forced us into this situation that we're in right now. It's a small percentage of our work force."

He said that most of the company's customers are connected with the automotive industry and the layoff at Monroe is temporary as far as we're concerned.

The layoff date coincides with the start of more significant layoffs at its Jackson plant, which were announced in late December 2008. About 310 workers will be furloughed there, and the cutbacks include some salaried posts. The Jackson plant employs about 380.

(Sourced from www.monroenews.com)