MILWAUKEE -- Harley-Davidson Inc. plans to eliminate manufacturing jobs in Milwaukee and Kansas City, a company spokeswoman tells TODAY'S TMJ4 partner the Milwaukee Business Journal.
“We will have an hourly workforce reduction at some of our U.S. manufacturing plants and are sharing details with employees today and tomorrow,” Katie Whitmore told the Journal.
It's not yet clear if the news will impact Harley's Menomonee Falls plant, which employs about 1,000 people, the Journal says. But United Steelworkers District 2 Director Mike Bolton told TODAY'S TMJ4 that "Harley-Davidson intends to lay off 180 workers at plants in Kansas City and Milwaukee."
"Not long ago, President Trump hailed this company as a model of American manufacturing," Bolton said in a statement. "Shortly thereafter, management announced plans to open production facilities in Thailand. Now we get word that 180 hard-working Americans will be lose (sic) their jobs.”
The Milwaukee Business Journal reports that, according to the motorcycle manufacturer, declining earnings are the reason behind the cuts.
"Today, Harley-Davidson announced Q2 2017 earnings results. As part of that announcement, the company will be lowering shipment guidance for the full-year 2017,” Whitmore told the Journal in a statement. “This supports the company’s commitment to manage supply in-line with demand and is the result of continued U.S. industry declines. Unfortunately, taking down shipment guidance has implications for our manufacturing facilities and company.”
Expected shipments are down about six percent from 2016, the Journal says.
