YAKIMA — Snokist Growers has notified the state it will lay off 610 full and part-time employees in February.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reported that most of those employees are seasonal workers who were recently laid off when the canning season ended. But the latest notification, filed with the state Employment Security Department on Friday, suggests the layoffs could become permanent, depending on the Yakima company’s ability to reorganize under bankruptcy.
The cooperative said some administrative and salaried employees will remain on the job to handle existing inventory over the next 12 to 18 months.
Snokist filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, citing a lack of operating funds and fallout from a food-safety problem identified last spring by the Food and Drug Administration.
Snokist said it is looking into selling or leasing its cannery and warehouse facilities.
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