General Electric will close plants in Niles, Austintown

General Electric plans to close two area plants and eliminate 130 jobs.

GE said Thursday that it intends to shut down its Austintown Products Plant and Niles Glass Plant on Nov. 1, 2008. Work done there is being sent to foreign plants or outside suppliers.

The company’s Mahoning Glass Plant, also located in Niles, and Ohio Lamp Plant in Warren are to remain open. Those plants employ a total of 470.

Janice Fraser, a GE spokesman, raised the possibility that the closings could be averted. She said union officials have 60 days to present alternative ways of operating the plants that would make them competitive.

Dennis Hayda, a steward for United Electrical Workers in Niles, said he hopes union officials could meet with the company soon to determine if there’s a way of saving the plants.

For more on this story, see Friday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.