Battery plant deal may be close Contract agreement with union key to locating facility in Schenectady Sunday, July 26, 2009 By Justin Mason (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — The General Electric Co. plans to build a $100 million advanced battery manufacturing plant at the GE Energy campus in Schenectady, the company announced to local workers and union leaders. Officials from the company said they are in the process of ratifying an agreement with IUE-CWA Local 301 — the union representing workers at the GE Energy and Global Research Center — that would ensure existing jobs in Schenectady in addition to creating 350 new positions at the planned sodium-storage battery plant. The agreement includes a provision for temporary layoffs as required by business volume but assures that there will be no permanent hourly work force reductions through June 2011, when the union’s contract expires. “This is really an unprecedented agreement that both protects jobs and creates new ones in the face of significant volume issues that could affect our main operations,” said Chris Horne, a spokeswoman for the company. The agreement does extend a plant shutdown next summer and schedules another during Thanksgiving. However, Horne said, these are elements that are part of the plan to ensure job growth under difficult economic circumstances. “We are all working together to figure out how we can reduce costs as we face this economic downturn globally,” she said Saturday. Numerous calls to Local 301 Business Agent Carmen DePoalo Saturday were not returned. Other ranking officers from the union did not respond to calls for comment............>>>>...............>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/26/0726_batteryplant/
SCHENECTADY Officials foresee jolt from battery facility BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
General Electric’s proposed $100 million battery manufacturing facility in Schenectady County has the potential to attract additional businesses and jobs to the area, local officials said. “It has the ability to create a strong green energy clustering effect in the county,” said Ray Gillen, director of economic development and planning for Schenectady County and chairman of the Metroplex Development Authority. “There could be a lot of opportunities for suppliers,” Gillen added. GE officials announced to local workers and union leaders its plan to build energy-storage batteries in a 270,000-square-foot facility at the GE Energy campus in Schenectady. Officials from the company said they are in the process of ratifying an agreement with IUE-CWA Local 301 — the union representing workers at the GE Energy and Global Research Center — that would ensure existing jobs in Schenectady and create 350 new positions at the planned sodium-storage battery plant. ................>>>>.....................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....3&Continuation=1
Hip-Hip-Hooray! More nothing from the usual sources.
The real deal from the TU--"This agreement would extend a plant shutdown in the summer of 2010 from TWO to NINE weeks and additionally a plant shutdown during the week of Thanksgiving." Also a voluntary retirement incentive program would made to employees over the age of 60.
Maybe be something in the future but so far a smoke screen for the complete failure of the County Planning and Death Ray on both Contec and Papa John's in Rotterdam that will result in the loss of hundreds of industrial workers.
Hip-Hip-Hooray! More nothing from the usual sources.
The real deal from the TU--"This agreement would extend a plant shutdown in the summer of 2010 from TWO to NINE weeks and additionally a plant shutdown during the week of Thanksgiving." Also a voluntary retirement incentive program would made to employees over the age of 60.
Maybe be something in the future but so far a smoke screen for the complete failure of the County Planning and Death Ray on both Contec and Papa John's in Rotterdam that will result in the loss of hundreds of industrial workers.
I don't think that much of anything significant will happen to the battery plant until/if Obama's' Crap and Tax bill gets ratified. GE stands to make billions if the bill is passed and will be repaid for letting their liberal NBC TV mislead the American taxpayer into supporting Obama's' energy program. As Sender's always says follow the money trail and watch who stands to make billions from the energy plan they are the ones who are pushing this plan.
I don't think that much of anything significant will happen to the battery plant until/if Obama's' Crap and Tax bill gets ratified. GE stands to make billions if the bill is passed and will be repaid for letting their liberal NBC TV mislead the American taxpayer into supporting Obama's' energy program. As Sender's always says follow the money trail and watch who stands to make billions from the energy plan they are the ones who are pushing this plan.
BINGO
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
When the smoke and mirrors are gone, the GE plant will actually have less employees. Who will take the blame for that? My sources at the plant say a layoff is imminent.
The County refuses to cut anything even with a million less revenue last quarter in sales tax revenue. Gee, they can always raise County Property taxes again for the new Home and Lumpy's Holiday Camp?
This is all a smoke screen for Death Ray fumbling the ball twice on Papa John's and Contec. Hundreds of jobs lost and Death Ray didn't know from nuthin. The reporters had to tell him what was going down. Per usual.
SCHENECTADY Critical GE contract vote set Tuesday Battery plant site decision to hinge on outcome BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Unionized workers at General Electric are facing a key contract vote Tuesday that will determine whether the global company builds a $100 million battery plant and adds jobs in Schenectady County, or whether it reduces its local work force. Some 1,200 members of IWECWA Local 301 — the union representing workers at the GE Energy and Global Research Center — are being asked to approve an amendment to a four-year national contract ratified in 2007. The local amendment: Freezes general cost-of-living and wage increases through June 19, 2011. Provides for a nine-week shutdown beginning in August 2010 and a one-week shutdown during Thanksgiving week in 2010. Workers can collect up to 75 percent of their pay. Calls for the use of extensive temporary layoffs through June 19, 2011, as required by business volume. Allows GE to pay new employees hired after July 2009 a wage of $10 less an hour, making starting pay about $20 per hour. In return, the company: Guarantees no permanent layoffs through June 19, 2011, replaced by temporary layoffs. Places a moratorium on plant closings, transfers or both on production work through June 19, 2011. Offers a retirement incentive program for Local 301 employees age 60 and older during 2010, based............>>>>.............>>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....601&ViewMode=GIF
Union says GE vote will be close Leader believes pact with company would help avoid layoffs
By ERIC ANDERSON, Deputy business editor First published in print: Thursday, July 30, 2009
SCHENECTADY -- Next week's vote on a tentative agreement between General Electric Co. and IUE-CWA Local 301 will be close, predicts Carmen DePoalo, the local's business agent.
But the union leader sees the agreement as a way to avoid permanent layoffs at the massive GE Energy campus in Schenectady and keep the work force globally competitive.
"We work very hard down there," he said Wednesday afternoon. "We've got a great membership. That's one of the reasons they want to bring the battery plant here."
DePoalo was referring to plans disclosed in May by GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt to build a $100 million plant to manufacture high-density, heavy-duty batteries in the Capital Region.
New York state is contributing $15 million of the cost, and GE is looking at other sources of financial aid, a federal stimulus grant among them.
The company is also looking for other ways to reduce its costs, and it turned to the union.
One member said the company wants to offer a voluntary retirement incentive program next year and a new competitive wage schedule that would reduce hourly wage rates by $10 for new hires at Schenectady and at the Global Research Center in Niskayuna.
It also seeks extended shutdowns next summer and during Thanksgiving week in 2010 at the Schenectady plant, and a cost of living wage increase freeze for the rest of the current contract, which expires in June 2011.........................>>>>................................>>>>........http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=826030&category=BUSINESS
I wouldn't trust any agreement that Mr Immelt endorses just look at what he has done to GE since he's been the CEO. GE stock used to pay good dividends and build good products and now under Immelt all he seems to be interested in is his personal profit and not what's best for the company IMHO.
I wouldn't trust any agreement that Mr Immelt endorses just look at what he has done to GE since he's been the CEO. GE stock used to pay good dividends and build good products and now under Immelt all he seems to be interested in is his personal profit and not what's best for the company IMHO.
Although I agree with you in part.... it still seems funny to hear that this company's expansion rest solely on a union vote. However the vote turns out, it will be a win/win for GE. They will just go somewhere else.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
In business, as in many things in life, you’ve got to give something to get something. In Schenectady, the General Electric Co. is offering to do a lot — open its first new global manufacturing operation in the community in decades, one that will provide 350 good-paying jobs. And that’s just for starters. In exchange, it’s asking unionized workers for what seems like relatively little: to help it through the recession by accepting a two-year wage freeze, temporary layoffs and extended furloughs next summer and fall. It also wants to cut the pay of new hires by one-third — they’d still make $20 per hour — but would give workers over 60 an early-retirement package. It’s a reasonable offer for a variety of reasons: While current workers would be giving up a contractual raise of roughly 3 percent and agreeing to layoffs and longer furloughs, between unemployment and union benefits, they’d qualify for as much as 75 percent of their regular pay during their time off. And the company is promising that any layoffs over that time would only be temporary. Without any agreement, the same furloughs could be imposed, and layoffs could be permanent. It’s also possible — likely, according to a company spokeswoman — that without any concessions, the new operation would be located elsewhere. That’s not hard to imagine, given how hungry communities across the country are for decentpaying manufacturing jobs. Schenectady faced a lot of competition to get this plant, and local officials have yet to reveal the extent of the concessions they will make. (The state is pitching in $15 million.) That there will be some is a foregone conclusion, but it’s hard to argue against an opportunity like this. ..............>>>>...............>>>>..............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00903
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Hip-Hip-Hooray! More nothing from the usual sources.
