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Red Cross Lays Off 22 Employees, Cuts Salaries

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By GARY SPROTT

gsprott@tampatrib.com

Published: December 14, 2008

TAMPA - With donors tightening their purse strings and investments hurting, the local chapter of the American Red Cross has laid off 22 employees, almost half its staff.

The cuts include part- and full-time workers across all departments, spokeswoman Abi Weaver said Saturday.

"The remaining staff all will be taking a salary reduction as part of a larger expense-reduction plan," she said.

The Tampa Bay Chapter served 122,000 clients in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties in fiscal year 2008, providing disaster response services and training in CPR, first aid and other skills.

The chapter has an annual budget of $4.5 million, Weaver said, but has seen a shortfall of about $1 million during the past four months.

"We're facing the same economic situation that every family and every corporation is facing," Weaver said.

The chapter has about 2,200 volunteers.

"It is our volunteers that are going to ensure we have no interruption in service," Weaver said.

The chapter's staffed offices in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Hudson will remain open. On Monday, it will open an all-volunteer office in Dade City.

The layoffs were announced Friday. Twenty-three of the chapter's 49 positions were cut, including one vacancy.

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