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It's Final: General Electric to Close Its Ohio Lamp Plant
WARREN, Ohio -- General Electric today notified the remaining 200 workers at its Ohio Lamp Plant here that it will close shortly after the first of the year. The decision follows this week's rejection of a tentative agreement between the International Union of Electrical Workers and management by members of IUE Local 772 at the plant.
The vote was taken Monday and the following day negotiations resumed between labor and management. Under the tentative agreement, some of the existing product lines would be shifted to other plants and production of energy-efficient halogen bulbs would be added at the plant. Certain long-term employees would be offered early-retirement packages.
The vote essentially pitted older workers, who stood to gain from the closing, against younger workers not eligible for retirement offers.Some of the workers rallied Tuesday outside the plant in hopes another agreement could be reached that would be accepted by a majority of the workers.
On Jan. 25, GE first announced the plant would close. The two months of negotiations that followed culminated with Monday's vote.
GE said in January that the plant was operating at one third of its total capacity "as customers shift from the halogen PAR lamps and specialty incandescent products made there to more energy efficient lighting products that last longer and cost less to operate and maintain. The declining demand, combined with high fixed operating costs, make it increasingly difficult to make products cost competitively at the plant."
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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