Employees of StarKist Samoa in American Samoa should know by the end of the week who will be the first ones to be furloughed in the cannery's plans to cut up to 800 jobs.
Cannery workers say that employees working in fish preparations have been told that the company will drop one of its three shifts, and employees who will be let go will be selected based on the point system and performance.
Cannery management has been holding meetings to explain the job reductions and entitlements that employees will receive.
According to several StarKist workers, one option by cannery management is for older employees who have served the company for 15 years and longer to voluntarily end their service
Such employees who opt to leave the company now would be entitled to 15 weeks of pay plus a two week salary bonus.
As soon as the voluntary furlough option was announced, a larger than expected number of employees signed up so yesterday the company discontinued it.
