CHATHAM, Ont. – Workers at the International Truck plant in Chatham need to cut more costs or their days are numbered.

A notice was sent to the southern Ontario facility warning closure will become a reality unless another $14 million can be cut from operations.

The original plan handed down to the workers six months ago was to cut $28 million to help deal with the slow heavy truck market. To date, the plant has only been able to reach half of that goal.

“We sent out a letter, formal notification, that there is a possibility that the plant could be closed in a year if we don’t become competitive,” says Roy Wiley, manager of external communications at the Navistar International Corp. headquarters in Warrenville, Ill.

The facility, which employed 2,200 in 1999, has been downsized to approximately 900.