UPS plans to eliminate roughly 128 positions at its Montgomery sorting operation early next year, a company filing with state officials shows — part of a larger reconfiguration that has already reshaped the nation’s parcel network.
The Alabama notice lists an initial report date of Dec. 23, 2025, and a planned layoff start date of Feb. 23, 2026. UPS says it is not closing the Montgomery facility; the company will discontinue one of the shifts, affecting employees who work that schedule.
"Our employees are extremely important to us, and we understand the impact this may have on them and their families," UPS spokesperson Karen Tomaszewski Hill told local reporters. The company added it is trying to place as many workers as possible into other roles and will provide support during the transition.
A chapter in a much bigger restructuring
The Montgomery cuts come midway through what UPS calls the largest network reconfiguration in its history. In 2025 the company disclosed sweeping changes — roughly 48,000 positions eliminated, including both operational and management roles, and the closure of dozens of buildings that once ran daily operations. That strategy has involved consolidating routes, trimming shifts and reducing some of the excess capacity the pandemic-era parcel boom created.
Analysts and local leaders say the moves reflect both deliberate cost-cutting and a broader slowdown in shipment growth after several years of extraordinary demand. UPS has publicly tied part of the change to reduced volume handled for major customers and an effort to right-size the network for current delivery patterns.
What it means locally
For the workers at the Montgomery hub, the immediate impact is blunt: fewer shifts and a smaller payroll starting next February. State law requires large employers to file WARN notices in advance of mass layoffs; those notices trigger services such as the Alabama Department of Workforce’s rapid response team, which offers on-site help for affected employees.
Union advocates and community leaders often urge companies to coordinate closely with state agencies so outgoing employees can access unemployment benefits, job-placement assistance and retraining opportunities quickly. UPS says it will work with impacted staff throughout the process.
Part of a national wave
This is not an isolated case. Other employers across sectors have announced staff reductions this year, a pattern that touches everything from tech and entertainment to logistics. For perspective on how companies and investors are adapting to changing corporate results and earnings signals, see how new tools are reshaping where investors look for quarterly performance and guidance Google Finance's new earnings tools. And the trickle-down effects of layoffs show up in varied places — even game studios and entertainment firms have faced rounds of cuts lately, highlighting a broader labor reset Rockstar’s recent staffing controversy.
Practical notes for workers
Employees named in WARN filings typically receive notification through their employer; they should also check in with the Alabama Department of Workforce for details on available rapid response services, job fairs, and unemployment insurance steps. Local workforce centers can help with resume writing, job-search assistance and training opportunities that may be available as the logistics sector continues to evolve.
UPS frames the moves as part of a long-term efficiency plan: fewer buildings, fewer shifts and a retooled routing network designed to cut costs and improve reliability. For employees and families in Montgomery, the practical reality will be the short-term scramble to find new schedules, roles or jobs — while the company and state agencies try to soften the blow.