St. Cloud Electrolux to temporarily layoff 190 workers

St. Paul, Minn. — Electrolux in St. Cloud, Minn., says it will temporarily lay off nearly 200 people. The freezer-maker employs 1,400 people in the central Minnesota city.

A company spokesman told the St. Cloud Times the move is normal for this time of year and that the lay off is nothing unique.

However, the company's union representative, Louie Neumann, says the slowing economy and slumping housing market are the biggest reasons for the layoffs at Electrolux:

"And people are holding back on spending money right now because I really believe the recession is around the corner and people tend to hold back on purchasing bigger items like that," Neumann said.

Neumann says if the country goes into a full recession, there could be more layoffs at the plant.

One Electrolux worker told the St. Cloud Times he's been through several lay offs in the past, and said the company usually hires workers back by April.