(WINSTON-SALEM) -- As sales decline, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is rolling out another employee buyout initiative.  The move is an effort to trim the Winston-Salem based cigarette maker's 1,400 manufacturing workforce.

Company spokesman David Howard said they are not sure how many positions will be cut.  "There's no certain number of jobs that must be eliminated. What I can tell you is that the last time we sought volunteers for job elimination with severance we got about 400 volunteers.  I can tell you this time the number will be less than that," said Howard.
 
Employees who accept the the buyout offer will get a substantial severance package. "Which equates to two weeks of pay for every year of service with a minimum of 13 weeks of pay and a maximum of 78 weeks of pay," Howard added.

Half of the production workers being offered the severance package have over 30-years with the company.