ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- The union at GE Transportation's plant in Erie will vote Friday on some work rule changes necessary to bring back 145 of 1,500 workers laid off last year.
The plan would recall 88 laid off workers permanently and 57 others for 12 weeks to fill a specific order. A company official says GE wants to be prepared should the market for locomotives improve.
The company in November made permanent 1,200 temporary layoffs that were announced in February 2009. In addition, 230 hourly jobs and 50 salaried jobs were cut there because of the economic slowdown.
GE still has about 4,000 northwestern Pennsylvania workers. The plant rehired 39 permanent workers and 12 temps in March, but that was done primarily to replace retirees.
