Decatur plant has laid off 225 people, including some more just this week...

http://tinyurl.com/bum8xb

Federal law requires that companies give 60 days’ notice before a mass layoff, but “Porter Inc. could not provide such notice that far in advance due to the unforeseen business circumstances regarding the unanticipated and dramatic major downturn in the national and global economies which have affected our business,” Porter wrote in its notice to the state. “In particular, the unprecedented freezing up of credit on both the retail and wholesale sides of the boat industry has drastically affected boat sales and shipments now and in the months ahead.”

Porter told the state it didn’t know when it would call the workers back, but “it is anticipated that sales of boats may return to normal levels starting in 2010.”

It was unclear Monday how many workers remained on the job at the Thunderbird plant at 2200 W. Monroe St.

“I think they’re pretty much in survival mode,” [Decatur Mayor] Schultz said.

As recently as 2005, the company employed more than 600 in a plant that comprised more than 400,000 square feet. Production workers earned $11.80 an hour to start and moved up to about $16.50 after a year.