Uncertainty and frustration continues at Erwin Hymer Group.
The motorhome manufacturer out of Cambridge, that also owns the Kitchener-based company Roadtrek, says it has been forced to reduce staff.
Employees say notices were handed out on Monday and that roughly 100 workers in the region would be reportedly laid off due to an economic downturn.
Most people who spoke to CTV Kitchener say everyone still working at the company are worried about what’s to come and that the recent layoffs could just be the beginning.
“It is hard to work today when you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” said current employee Ryan Rogers.
“Everyone is standing around,” said current employee William Singleton. “Everyone is scared.”
Singleton says that he and several of his coworkers received an email Thursday morning stating that vacation pay was being withheld due to an audit.
The email says staff will be paid out at a later date.
“Today people started refusing work once the vacation letter went out,” Singleton said on Thursday.
“I’m very frustrated, I’m said, there’s anxiety and worry because I have a youngster,” said former employee Jesse Malone. “My first kid is two weeks away.”
Malone was laid off on Monday.
He says he received a different notice today.
“They overpaid me on my last pay and they deducted 230 dollars from my last pay,” said Malone. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
Both current and former staff left with more questions than answers.
“Everything is on the hush hush now,” said Singleton. “No one is saying anything.”
CTV walked into the Reuter Drive location for the second time this week, but was turned away.
“There is no one available for comment right now,” said the front desk manager. “They are going through some things right now. When they are ready for comment we can call you.”
Back in May 2016, CTV interviewed Howare Stratton, the chief operation officer of Erwin Hymer Group, who spoke about the growth of the company.
“For man power right now we are just around the 300 mark,” he said. “We expect to be about the 800 mark four years out. It’s pretty significant growth.”
Erwin Hymer Group is a German company known as one of the largest motorhome manufactuers in Europe.
The company acquired Roadtrek in 2016.
Last fall, American manufacturer Thor Industries was looking to acquire Erwin Hymer for 2.1 billion Euros, but that deal has not closed.
Both current and former employees tell CTV they have heard of more layoffs, possibly 300, that they say could impact all three locations in the region starting soon.
