Gallo Glass cuts 45 workers

Gallo Glass Co. has laid off 45 of the 900 employees at its Modesto bottle factory, company officials said Tuesday.

The layoffs, which took effect Sunday, resulted from reduced demand for wine bottles and the upcoming rebuilding of two furnaces at the plant, spokeswoman Susan Hensley said.

The plant, off Yosemite Boulevard, supplies bottles to the adjacent E.&J. Gallo Winery as well as other companies.

"We regret having to lay off any of our employees but feel we have no choice given the recent circumstances," said John Gallo, vice president at Gallo Glass, in a written statement, "Our hope is that our construction projects will go smoothly and demand for glass will take off again in the future."

The workers are represented by Local 17 of the Glass, Pottery, Plastic & Allied Workers Union.

"Unfortunately, the economy is affecting all of us," local president Carlos Contreras said. "It's tough to find other jobs around here."

Hensley said the laid-off workers would be welcome to apply again for jobs should the demand for bottles rebound.

She said no layoffs are planned at Gallo wineries in Modesto or elsewhere.

The bottle plant, built in 1958, is the largest single-site producer of glass containers in the world.