Publix vendor lays off 168 people in Lakeland, Sarasota after losing contract

A company that unloaded merchandise at five Publix Super Markets distribution centers, four in Lakeland and one in Sarasota, is laying off 168 employees after the grocer cut its contract with the company.

The company, Freight Handlers, notified state and local officials of the cuts in a pair of letters sent to meet federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requirements.

According to the letters, Freight Handlers will no longer perform “third party unloading services” at the centers starting Sept. 19. “All affected employees have been notified of their separation date and that their separation from employment will be permanent,” the letter says.

The jobs being cut includes 127 warehouse handlers; 30 warehouse handler leads and backup leads; five department managers; four assistant production managers; and two orientation coordinators.

A Publix spokesperson responded to questions Tuesday about why it had decided to move on from Freight Handlers, if it used the company’s services at other facilities or if it planned to retain any of the employees being laid off in an email writing, “It is more appropriate for FHI to respond as the employees are employed by FHI.”

Freight Handlers also did not respond to questions about its relationship with Publix.

The North Carolina company, according to its website, was founded in 1991 and supports warehouse and supply chain operations. Among its offerings are contingent labor, managed labor and full truckload services.

According to the letter, the Publix distribution centers affected by the cuts are:

• 2600 County Line Road in Lakeland
• 3045 New Tampa Highway in Lakeland
• 1936 George Jenkins Blvd. in Lakeland
• 3145 New Tampa Highway in Lakeland
• 6123 Sawyer Road in Sarasota

This story has been updated to include a statement from Publix.