LOCAL 506

NEWS SUPPLEMENT

GE ANNOUNCES LAYOFFS

On Thursday, January 25, 2001, an Erie-Times News headline announced the layoffs of 200 GETS workers. The truth of the matter is that, as of today, no one in the hourly workforce has received a layoff notice. That situation will probably change early next week when some members of our Local will be contacted and subjected to the layoff procedure.

As members attending the Wednesday, January 24, 2001 membership meetings learned, the Company notified the officers of a pending reduction in forces. Fewer orders would be blamed for most of the reductions, however the Company also announced their intent to transfer warehouse work to Kansas City, thus compounding the layoff situation.

Since the announcements, the Officers, E-Board and Job Preservation Committee have been actively working and meeting with the Company in an effort to minimize the impact and the depth of the layoffs by:

Working to bring back all capacity driven farmouts

Identifying understaffed departments to create openings

Identifying and negotiating new work for the Plant

Facilitating Special Retirement Bonuses for workers 60 years of age or older.

Facilitating Special Early Retirements for qualified members in the affected Classes and Categories of work.

Invoking our Article 23 (Job and Income Security) rights to have at least 45 days of negotiations in an effort to maintain the warehouse work.

Unfortunately, the full effect of the measures listed above won’t be known until the negotiations are completed and the layoff process is underway however, we do know that some of those measures have already contributed to bringing the Company hourly layoff numbers down from 153 to 129.

In light of the fact that we have recently welcomed 132 new Brothers and Sisters to the Union, we will be working especially hard to lesson or eliminate the need to disrupt their lives and for that matter, the lives of any member affected by this reduction.

SOLIDARITY RALLY

A rally will be held for the Lutheran Home Healthcare Workers, members of SEIU 1199P, this Saturday, February 3, 2001 at the American Legion, Roger Israel Post 11 located at 2123 Peach Street. The Rally will begin at 2:00 p.m. and continue until 5:00 p.m. All Local 506 and 618 Members are encouraged to support the Lutheran Home workers in their fight against unfair labor practices.

Printed by UE Local 506 February 2, 2001