Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 20, 1990                   TAG: 9003202658
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: EVENING  
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN                                LENGTH: Medium

FIRST LAYOFFS AT AT&T ARE DELAYEED UNTIL JULY

"I had expected originally to see some layoffs as early as May," Jay Walters, director of manufacturing at AT&T's New River Valley Works, said at a news conference Monday.

Walters said that as employees leave the plant to go to school or take new jobs, the remaining employees will continue to build up the stock of products. Operations at the plant, which makes electronic components such as transformers and inductors, will be phased out over the next year.

So far, 36 of the plant's 1,000 employees have left voluntarily - 12 to work at other AT&T plants and 24 to take new jobs or to continue their education.

The first layoff will be in July and will put 50 people out of work. Another 130 workers are scheduled to be laid off at the end of August, and 180 are to be let go in September.

The next 120 workers will be laid off at the end of October and 150 will be laid off in December.

"There's a possibility we'll be able to push it back some more," Walters said. "Each employee will be individually notified 60 days ahead of the date he is put off the roll."

In recent weeks, employees have been putting in overtime, Walters said. He said that as machinery is moved to Dallas, the employees who worked that machinery will be moved to other stations.

The first unit to go to Dallas will be "plug-in power," which consists of about seven machines used to make small transformers, Walters said. "It's one of our smaller stations. Only about four employees will be affected," he said.

Walters said 27 management employees have accepted job offers at other AT&T facilities. He said he expects 200 to 250 workers to move to Dallas, where most of the Fairlawn work is going, or other AT&T facilities.

Walters and state and Pulaski County officials said Monday they are hopeful that another company will buy the Fairlawn plant soon and employ some of the laid-off workers.

Several companies have looked at the plant, Walters said, but "not any that I would characterize as serious visits."

Formal marketing of the building has not begun, he said. He expects a brokerage firm and price for the plant to be announced at the end of March. "At the end of the month we'll be much more active in marketing this plant," he said.

Community leaders also attended the news conference Monday to discuss their action in response to the coming layoffs.

A committee of agencies - including the plant, union, ministerial associations and social services departments - has been meeting since the company announced in January that it would close the plant, said Peter Huber, Pulaski County's assistant administrator for economic development.

Assistance to workers includes counseling, job retraining programs and an expanded employee resource center. Several classes in English, math and computer science are being offered at the plant through New River Community College.

The Virginia Employment Commission is preparing a pamphlet explaining community services available to laid-off workers.