In Letter to President and CEO of GE Transportation, Senator Cites Region’s Workforce, Importance of Jobs to Region
Washington DC - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), today, released a letter to the President and CEO of GE Transportation, Lorenzo Simonelli, urging the company to work to keep jobs in Erie during upcoming negotiations with workers. Recently, GE Transportation announced it was considering moving nearly 1,000 jobs to Texas. In his letter, Senator Casey made known his expectation that GE would enter the negotiations in good faith with the goal of maintaining jobs.
“Erie’s skilled workforce has been an important part of GE Transportation’s growth over the years. Maintaining that workforce will contribute to economic growth in Erie and success for GE,” Senator Casey said. “I expect GE will enter these upcoming negotiations in good faith and will work to keep jobs in Northwestern Pennsylvania.”
The full text of Senator Casey’s letter is below:
April 12, 2013
Mr. Lorenzo Simonelli
President and CEO
GE Transportation
Dear Mr. Simonelli:
I write to reiterate my concern regarding the announcement made this week that GE Transportation is considering transferring 950 jobs out of Erie. My expectation for the negotiation period between management and labor is that GE will participate in good faith with the end goal of keeping these jobs in Erie.
My top priority is to create and maintain good-paying jobs in northwest Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth. That is why I have been actively engaged in helping identify new markets both domestically and internationally for locomotives produced in Erie. The employees in northwestern Pennsylvania have demonstrated a solid work ethic for many years that has served your company well. Over the course of the negotiation period, it is my expectation that you will be personally engaged in trying to reach an amicable solution with your employees that will mitigate job loss and maintain the employment base in the future.
I stand ready to assist in these efforts and request that you keep me informed of all pertinent developments.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
