Structural Steel CEO Tommy Dulaney

    A Meridian business staple has laid off about 10 percent of its workforce because of stagnant economic conditions.

    Structural Steel Services laid off 26 hourly employees and two supervisors Thursday. The layoffs are the first in the company’s history since it began operating in 1975.

    Structural Steel CEO Tommy Dulaney said the cutbacks were the final option. He said there were discussions for weeks to decide what to do, but there was no getting around the decision to lay people off. Those laid off were the night shift at plant No. 2.

    “We had a job for Oklahoma Gas & Electric stopped in mid-fabrication,”  Dulaney said. “We had to stop and load steel and get it out of the shops. It’s hard to fill in a hole like that. You don’t want people standing around and getting paid for doing nothing.”

    Oklahoma Gas & Electric was upgrading its pollution control facility when it was sued by the Sierra Club, an environmental organization, in an effort to shut down its coal plant. The court ruled against the Sierra Club.

    Dulaney said May 8 is when Oklahoma Gas & Electric will be notified whether or not it can restart its operation.

    “We’re in limbo until that date,” Dulaney said.

    Before the layoffs, Structural Steel employed 279 people.

    Dulaney said the company tried to make it as easy on the affected employees as it could. He said the company forgave approximately $12,500 in company loans and paid out for vacation time and sick leave, which amounted to approximately $40,000 to $50,000.

    He said the employees were also paid for the final two days they were not required to work leading up to the layoff. Dulaney said that amounted to 20 hours, or about $11,000-$12,000.

    Dulaney said all affected employees are qualified for unemployment benefits, and the shift superintendent indicated he was leaning toward retirement after 27 years.

    Dulaney said the company doesn’t foresee any more layoffs.