Dayton wants to talk to Target CEO about layoffs

Updated 2:45 p.m. | Posted 2:11 p.m.

Gov. Mark Dayton, whose family founded Target, wants to meet with the company's CEO to discuss coming layoffs and Target's commitment to Minnesota.

Dayton told reporters Wednesday that Target officials did not give him any notice of the job cuts and he's concerned about the well being of those who will lose their jobs.

"He's relatively new here," Dayton said of CEO Brian Cornell.

"It's a very, very important company to Minnesota. It's the largest private employer in Minnesota, for-profit employer, and it's hugely important to all of these people and their families who have to live now with a period of uncertainty over a couple of years," Dayton said, adding, it "puts all of them in a very, very, very difficult situation."

Target released a statement saying Cornell looks forward to working with Dayton and other Minnesota elected officials "and will continue to share details on this issue as we are able."

The Minneapolis-based retail giant on Tuesday said it plans to eliminate "several thousand positions," primarily at its Minneapolis headquarters, as part of a massive overhaul in the way the company does business.

The job cuts would come over two years as part of a $2 billion cost reduction and restructuring plan.

No specific numbers were immediately available but officials said they wanted the headquarters to have a "simpler and more nimble structure."

Target employs roughly 13,000 now in its Twin Cities headquarters operations.