ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, January 11, 1997             TAG: 9701130143
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: A-5  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON  

NEW AEP TREE CONTRACT BRINGS JOB LOSSES, GAINS

A tree-cutting contractor has laid off about 100 people in Roanoke, Rocky Mount and the Martinsville area after losing a contract with American Electric Power Co. to clip branches away from its power lines.

But about half the employees cast off by Trees Inc. of Houston, Texas, were hired by a local division of Asplundh Tree Expert Co. of Willow Grove, Pa., which took over the trimming contract with the utility, Darrel Smith, an Asplundh official, said Friday.

Trees Inc. let go its workers between Dec. 27 and Dec. 30, after performing the contract for eight years, said Larry Gattis, division manager of Trees Inc.

Smith said Asplundh is looking for more tree workers for its Roanoke-area operations.

LENGTH: Short :   26 lines
KEYWORDS: JOBCHEK