Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 6, 1994 TAG: 9408080041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN LENGTH: Medium
Arsenal Public Affairs Officer Nicole Kinser said Hercules Inc., which operates the plant, was hiring back the workers to complete a contract to make stick cannon propellant.
In January the arsenal refilled 230 production positions for the contract.
The positions opening up are the result of attrition and workers leaving or opting for retirement, she said. They will be filled according to seniority of the laid-off workers.
"We're well-pleased," said Ken Thompson, president of Local 3-495 of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union. "It's a whole lot better going in than going out."
All the positions being filled are wage-paid and will be in the rocket and roll powder areas and maintenance, Kinser said. Because the contract is scheduled to be completed by year's end, the jobs will last only until then.
"They're being told it's only temporary," Thompson said. "We always hope it ends up being permanent." But that will depend on further contracts.
Thompson said most of the workers being offered jobs have seven to nine years of experience.
While the temporary positions won't appeal as much as permanent ones, he said there wouldn't be much trouble finding people to take the $12.50-an-hour jobs.
Medical examinations for the recalled workers will begin next week, and they will start working in two phases beginning the weeks of Aug. 19 and Sept. 12.
Employment at the arsenal, including the recalled workers, will stand at 1,655, a little more than half what the plant employed three years ago before it began laying off hundreds because of defense downsizing.
by CNB