Layoffs loom at HAECO; ‘some or all’ look to lose jobs

Image
  • The entrance to HAECO at Lake City Gateway Airport is seen Thursday afternoon. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)
    The entrance to HAECO at Lake City Gateway Airport is seen Thursday afternoon. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)
Body

In a turn of events expected to deal a heavy blow to the local economy, HAECO, one of the largest employers in the county, is bracing for layoffs.

The aircraft maintenance firm’s facility at Lake City Gateway Airport employs 600 people, said general manager Stephen Coley. It’s not yet clear how many will be affected by the move, Coley said. 

“At this point, that’s not even being worked on,” he said. 

However, a letter sent to Lake City employees said the company “anticipate[s] permanently laying off some or all” of them.

A downturn in the aviation industry, brought on by the covid-19 pandemic, made the decision necessary, Coley said. 

“Obviously, this is not what we expected,” he said. “And HAECO has always prided itself in taking care of its employees as our No. 1 priority, which you can see from how we’ve been without work for several weeks and still retained all our employees.”

The company has applied for assistance through the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. 

“We’re holding out hope,” Coley said. 

There are specific provisions in the bipartisan legislation for airline contractors such as HAECO, which has not yet heard back about its application. 

“At the end of the day, we’re doing everything we can to protect the livelihood of our employees,” Coley said. 

In addition to its normal employees, HAECO typically has about 50 to 70 contract workers on site, Coley said. 

The company’s large labor pool contributes to the economy in a major way when they spend their paychecks. 

“You look at not just the number of employees we have, but everything we touch from there — like the restaurants — it’s a significant impact,” Coley said. 

HAECO sent notices to employees Monday informing them of the layoffs, which could begin as early as April 30 and may continue through May 31.