Wal-Mart announced on Friday that it will close an optical lab, leaving 650 people withoutjobs.
The layoffs at the lab, located at 2525 Rohr Road, are effective immediately, 10TV's Jeff Hoganreported.
Employees who showed up Friday morning were told not to punch their time cards and were notifiedthat they were losing their jobs.
Workers at the Lockbourne facility assembled parts for glasses to be shipped to Wal-Mart stores,Hogan reported.
"This decision, along with expansions and improvements to our other eyewear manufacturingfacilities will allow Wal-Mart to reduce costs and operate our optical business more efficiently,"said Wal-Mart spokesperson Volker Heimeshoff. "While this is the right decision for our business,it is a difficult one."
Wal-Mart has offered employees a severence package of 60 days with benefits and pay.
Employees said there was growing concern that their jobs would be outsourced toMexico. Wal-Mart refused to comment and said in fact they are expanding in threedifferent U.S. markets.
Workers told 10TV News that it is hard to understand how a multibillion dollar company thatis turning a profit can have such massive layoffs, Hogan reported.
Some workers even received promotions and raises within the last two weeks.
Cheryl Smith was a customer service supervisor for seven years. Friday was her birthday and shespent it cleaning out her workspace.
"The constant reassurance that everything was fine and there was nothing to be worried about. Ihave no idea what I'm going to do. I'm a single mother," Smith said.
"Anytime a corporation outsources somewhere else, you know they're shutting down here becausethey're getting cheaper wages there," said Chris Bradford, who worked at the company for threeyears.
10TV News spoke with a property manager who said he was inside the building on Thursday and itappeared to be business as usual, Hogan reported.
Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for more information.
