SAN ANTONIO – Former employees of the Ballenger Construction Company were still waiting Thursday to find out why they lost their jobs earlier this week.
"The drivers are just in disbelief," said 18-wheeler driver Jesse Alamillo. "Right before the holidays? It's just not right."
Alamillo was one of the dozens of Ballenger's San Antonio employees who lost their job Wednesday. He said he's called each of the company's three Texas offices, but no one can tell him why he was fired. He's only heard claims that the number of layoffs numbered in the triple digits.
"I've heard it from a few of the other employees that there were approximately 600 employees that were laid off," Alamillo said.
In an emailed statement, officials at TxDOT said, "We are working closely with the contractor and its bonding company to move forward with projects in the district and ultimately achieve a logical and timely conclusion for them."
Alamillo said all he can do is hope that his last pay check arrives at the end of the week, and start looking for a new job.
"My kids are looking at me like, ‘Dad are we going to have a Christmas?'" he said. "I'm not going to wait around until after Christmas to look for a job…while everybody else is working and having a Christmas and I'm not."