By Paris Goodnight

Salisbury Post

CLEVELAND — Freightliner cutbacks that have been hinted at for months finally hit Friday: 1,100 workers will be laid off at the Cleveland plant, several employees told the Post this morning.

A company letter announcing the cuts was posted at midnight at the Cleveland truck manufacturing plant.

The layoffs, starting March 1, will be based on seniority, with those hired after May 19, 2004, losing their positions first. Workers hired before that were told they’d be working every other week starting in April, and the company plans to cut the third shift completely.

Officials at the Cleveland plant referred all calls about the layoffs to company headquarters in Portland, Ore.

See more details in Saturday’s Salisbury Post.