Gas prices drop

Gas prices drop

YOUNGSTOWN

Ohio gas prices have fallen 5 percent from last week as the cost of gasoline goes down nationwide along with oil prices.

A survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express shows the Ohio average price for regular-grade gasoline is now $3.49 a gallon, down from $3.66 a week ago.

Gas in the Youngstown-Warren region averaged $3.57 a gallon late Monday afternoon, down from $3.70 a week ago, according to AAA’s Fuel Gauge report.

Pump prices in Ohio have declined from the all-time high of $4.16 for regular reached May 4. Gas still costs more in Ohio than it did a year ago, when regular-grade gas averaged $2.72.

Workers to vote on contract with GE

WARREN

Local IUE-CWA members will vote this week to approve a new, four-year agreement with General Electric Co.

The IUE-CWA on Monday announced the terms of the tentative agreement with GE, which affects more than 200 workers at GE’s Ohio Lamp Plant in Warren.

The new contract would increase health-care costs. GE’s salaried workers, who began paying 35 percent of costs last year, will continue paying that amount, and hourly workers will pay 24 percent, up from the current rate of 21.5 percent.

The new contract also stipulates a $5,000 cash payment in July, along with wage increases of 2.25 percent, 2.5 percent and 3 percent in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively. Workers will get eight cost-of-living increases worth $1.13 an hour over the life of the contract.

Staff reports