ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 7, 1997 TAG: 9702070057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
THE COMPANY HAD more success than expected in getting new business, a union spokeswoman said. GE's first major layoff since 1988 could have lasted until July.
General Electric Co.'s Motors and Industrial Systems division in Salem is cutting short by several months its first major layoff in nearly 10 years. The company said Thursday it has recalled all recently displaced workers, effective Monday.
Last month, the fourth-largest employer in the Roanoke Valley informed its employee union that a slowdown was threatening the jobs of 208 people - 24 percent of its production work force.
That number was repeatedly cut, and actual furloughs were shortened, leaving 20 people out involuntarily as of Thursday, said Cindy Arrington, recording secretary of the the International Union of Electronic Workers Local 161. Another 50 or so on voluntary layoff are due back Monday.
"It's been an inconvenience, but I'm sure everyone that went out is glad to be back," Arrington said.
GE said Thursday it had more success than expected in getting new business for the factory. In announcing that workers were being laid off effective Jan. 24, executives said a quick recall was a possibility - but added that the lack of work could last until July.
As it turned out, workers are now being told "the load," a shop term for workload, "is going to continue to pick up the rest of the year," Arrington said. That's a sign that even the least-senior employees have jobs and "will be able to stay," she said.
Arrington said GE's previous layoff was in 1988. The most recent cuts followed a mandatory two-week furlough for production workers, during which they needed to take some or all of their paid vacation leave to continue being paid.
In a move reducing the number forced from their jobs, GE had asked employees to volunteer to be placed on furlough.
GE spokesman Mike Allee could not provide details of the equipment orders the workers are returning to fill. A 1,100-person salaried work force at GE includes engineers who design drives, controls and automation systems that the production workers manufacture.
"We're just extremely happy that we're able to bring everybody back. You make decisions at a point in time based on the information you have at that point in time," Allee said. "We've just been able to get more business than we had anticipated."
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