PORT ALLEGANY – Around 40 Pittsburgh Corning employees who were
laid off in September, and later recalled, will be affected by the
shut-down of one of the company’s two melters at the local plant,
on or about Feb. 1.

Don Tanner, company vice president of human resources, confirmed
“Those employees were recalled and are currently working. They will
be impacted by the move on Feb. 1, 2007.”

Lay-offs follow the LIFO (last in, first out) pattern, with the
workers with most seniority most likely to stay.

There are some exceptions for skill-specific jobs, employees
say.

The employees whose seniority was insufficient for them to dodge
the September lay-off will also be most vulnerable to the upcoming
cutback. Some of the more senior may find they must change job
assignments; some will “bump” into other assignments.

The February cuts will go deeper than the September
lay-offs.

Employees who will be affected await word as to what help will
be available to help with “outplacement.” Some do not know whether
they will be laid off, but say that it could depend on whether some
of the more senior employees decide to retire.

Hopes that a sweetened early retirement package would be
available for some of the 55-and-up employees were not confirmed as
of this past week, although company and union representatives held
discussions Wednesday.

A joint statement issued by the company and United Steel Workers
Local 1019 Thursday said information concerning the number of
persons to be laid off will be available this coming week.

The lay-off is not seen as a short-term one, as most PC lay-offs
have been in recent years. The affected workers are not expected to
be called back in 2007.