Dell Reaches Out to TFI Workers Who Will Lose Jobs

Jul. 6–THOMASVILLE — The 600 workers who will lose their jobs later this year at Thomasville Furniture Industries Inc. in Davidson County already are getting chances to make a fresh start.

Officials with Dell Inc. will visit Thomasville Furniture Plant A Wednesday to meet with workers who will lose their jobs when the furniture manufacturing factory and support facilities are closed later this year. The layoffs will start in August and be completed in late November.

“They are coming to see how some of the skills our employees have might be suitable for their new factory in Winston-Salem,” said Rick Millen, vice president of human resources with Thomasville Furniture Industries. Dell is reaching out to companies laying off workers across the Piedmont to offer opportunities for their workers to apply, said Dell spokeswoman Michele Blood.

Dell will pay between $9.50 an hour to $14 an hour for its hourly jobs at its computer manufacturing plant scheduled to open this fall, depending on the type of job and experience of the employee, she said. Thomasville Furniture hourly workers make an average of $12.72 an hour, Millen said. In addition to the meeting with Dell, Thomasville Furniture Industries officials intend to organize a job fair next month for their workers who will lose jobs, Millen said. The date and location of the job fair still has to be determined, Millen said Tuesday, but most likely will take place in August.

So far, 38 employers have expressed interest in talking to employees who will lose jobs, he said. The company may hold more than one job fair before the layoffs are completed, Millen said.

Last week, Thomasville Furniture Industries officials met with representatives of the Governor’s Rapid Response Team to discuss how the state can assist workers who will lose their jobs, Millen said. The team provides early intervention to workers affected by either a layoff or business closing.

—–

To see more of the High Point Enterprise, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.hpe.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, High Point Enterprise, N.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

FBN, DELL,