---

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

DATE: MONDAY, January 6, 1992                   TAG: 9201060211
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

---

GE ISN'T LOSING MONEY, BUT JOBS

I FEEL several articles carried recently in this newspaper about General Electric Co. in Salem were very misleading and typical of GE corporate whitewash.

Once again, Salem GE management is trying to lay the blame for the "business shortfall" at the doorstep of the work force, primarily the hourly work force. "Business shortfall" is corporate talk for managers in hot water - and not likely to get fat bonuses, and for promotions to vice president even in a bad year.

The fact is that GE in Salem has not lost money since it was built in 1955. What Salem GE has lost over the years is jobs.

There are literally hundreds of vendors supporting our business. Many of these vendors' jobs once were hourly jobs at Salem GE. These vendors in many cases were set up by GE to cut cost by using non-union cheap labor. Many jobs at Salem GE were formed outside the country. (Every time this happens at any company, the standard of living goes down one more notch in this country.)

Did this farm-out help? Not hardly. Now we're forever waiting for parts and material to complete job orders in Salem. So give us a break, this isn't the hourly workers' fault. But of course, we'll pay the price. GE, like most businesses, usually balances books with hourly jobs. I don't recall a management layoff in the last 25 years I've been in the Salem plant, only promotions and fat bonuses.

There is another way hourly workers might perform better. Pay us correctly and timely. Employees in the work group I represent have had their pay shorted by as much as $900, with a note saying they still are owed. GERALD DILLON MONETA

---