Dollar General cutting 44 jobs at Marion distribution center

Brett Wallace, Chronicle-Tribune
bwallace@chronicle-tribune.com

Dollar General will eliminate about 44 jobs at its Marion distribution center as part of a national restructuring of its distribution center work force.

Tawn Earnest, the company's senior director of corporate communications, said the changes are being made because of a corporate decision to "fundamentally (change) the way (Dollar General) supports its retail stores and serves its customers."

"Given the difficult economic environment, we are working hard to minimize the impact on those employees," Earnest said.

She said the company will use natural attrition and will place employees in existing job openings for which they are qualified to minimize the effect on its work force.

Ken Counce, general manager of the Marion distribution center, declined to comment when contacted.

Earnest said those employees not retained by Dollar General will receive severance and outplacement help.

Overall, the distribution center in Marion is not in danger of closing, she said.

"We remain committed to Marion and to all the communities where Dollar General has a presence," she said.

Tim Eckerle of the Grant County Economic Growth Council said the company is still meeting the economic incentives set forth when it was lured to the county three years ago.

"Last I checked, they are exceeding the goals they had laid out," he said.

Other media outlets have also reported the elimination of Dollar General distribution center jobs in other communities.

The Zanesville (Ohio) Times Recorder reports that 100 jobs are being cut by the distribution center in that community. KTEN-TV reports 95 positions were eliminated at the company's center in Ardmore, Texas. The Fulton (Mo.) Sun is reporting that 46 DG employees lost their jobs at the center in that city.

The Tenneesee-based company operates nine distribution centers and 8,000 stores in 35 states.