Rumored for weeks, news of the General Electric Co. decision to open a new wind turbine management and service center in Schenectady was nonetheless quite welcome when it was officially announced Thursday. The idea of GE (or any other company, for that matter) moving such an operation from California to Schenectady was virtually unthinkable until recently, but thanks to the increasing popularity of renewable energy worldwide; the region’s proximity to highwind areas near Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks; the burgeoning “Tech Valley” corridor; and (perhaps) the fact that the county’s politicians and economic development authorities are generally working together rather than fighting, it made sense for the company to set up shop here. So much so, it’s doing it without the lure of economic incentives — a rare development to be sure, and one we hope that isn’t lost on local officials. Naturally, those officials are optimistic that the 150 “high-end” white-collar jobs at the core of GE’s “Renewable Energy Global Headquarters” will be just the beginning of a renaissance for the company in Schenectady. After all, the company’s headquarters were once based in the Electric City, and its Energy division was headquartered here until only recently. GE employment in Schenectady has been on a one-way street out of town for decades — from more than 40,000 jobs just after World War II to around 3,200 currently — so it’s encouraging that the company has decided, after all these years, to give Schenectady another shot. There’s no question that other parts of the company’s energy business are booming, as evidenced by a story in Thursday’s paper: Since the end of last year, turbine orders and commitments totaling more than $3.5 billion have come into GE Energy from the Mideast. The steam turbines from those orders are being manufactured in Schenectady, so there is indeed reason for optimism. The wind energy business is also growing rapidly, as one of the established alternatives to oil-, coal- and gas-generated power. And that’s not just good news for GE Energy and Schenectady, but the global environment.
so it’s encouraging that the company has decided, after all these years, to give Schenectady another shot.
Let's see if we can all handle ourselves in a more upfront, truthful and face to face way....without all the sneaky stuff and rip-offs---for both the company and the county......KEEP OUT THE HOODLUMS.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Oh, don't think for a minute that GE is doing this purely out of the goodness of their heart. I'm sure we all share the same sentiment that we are glad there will be more jobs available in our area. But 'any' business will go into an area that they 'know' will bring them a nice profit margin. That is what businesses do!
But I also agree with you senders.....let's not abuse it like some did in the past. It's clearly a two way street!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
GE will stay just long enough to get the wind factory on it's feet and while that's happening they'll be looking for a place to move to to maximize their profit with low wages and less restrictions on pollution.
SCHENECTADY GE to hire 100 workers Turbine demand prompts need for added employees BY JASON SUBIK Gazette Reporter
GE Energy has begun a six-month push to hire approximately 100 new hourly employees in Schenectady to help increase production of steam turbine engines and generators, company officials confirmed Friday. The move marks the first time since 2001 that GE Energy has sought to expand its Erie Boulevard plant’s approximately 1,200-member hourly work force. “The [global market for energy products] has been expanding, so we’ve had a reason to be adding people in a number of areas,” GE Energy spokeswoman Jan Smith said. “We had a recall list, but now it’s become completely depleted. That was all done last year to respond to increase in [production] volume. Now the next step in the process is to continue hiring to assist with the market demand.” Smith said she did not have an exact breakdown of the new hires, but many of the positions will be new jobs while some will replace losses from attrition. She said some of the hiring is directly attributable to $1.8 billion in contracts with the Middle Eastern countries of Kuwait and Qatar announced in July. One of the projects in Qatar involves supplying gas and steam and power plant system services for a 2-gigawatt power plant, and the steam turbines for the project will be made in Schenectady. GE Energy posted $5.1 billion in revenues for General Electric Inc. in the second quarter, accounting for 30 percent of its infrastructure businesses, which as a segment was up 23 percent. On Thursday, GE Energy posted job openings on its Web site for hourly manufacturing positions, seeking applicants who are 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or equivalent and three years of experience in an industrial manufacturing or maintenance operation, and machinist jobs with qualifications including a technical degree of two years or more with industry experience or five years machining experience and formal training. Carmen DePoalo, business agent for Schenectady Local 301 of the Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America, said his union has lobbied for more hiring in Schenectady and is pleased by the news. “They’ll be well-paid jobs,” DePoalo said. “They’ll get about 75 percent of the high wage for that job, where a job might pay $24 an hour [new hires will get about $20]. These are fullbenefit jobs, no part-time jobs, [new hires] will get medical, dental, vision — the whole nine yards.” GE Energy is also in the midst of a recruitment effort to hire 150 new white-collar professionals by the end of the year to staff a new wind energy product management and customer service center to support its Renewable Energy Global Headquarters in Schenectady.
GE announcing major economic development plan October 30, 2007 by Larry Rulison, Business writer
General Electric Co. is planning a “significant economic development” announcement tomorrow at its downtown Schenectady plant.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer is going to be there, along with local political leaders.
A press conference will take place at 10: 30 a.m.
GE Energy executives will also be there.
The company, which employs 3,200 people in Schenectady, said the announcement will highlight GE Energy’s “continuing investment and commitment to the Schenectady area.”
SCHENECTADY GE to add hundreds of jobs Announcement of new hires set for this morning BY BOB CONNER Gazette Reporter
General Electric Co. and Gov. Eliot Spitzer are scheduled to announce today that GE will hire several hundred people to work on renewable energy at its Schenectady plant. “I’ve heard the number 500,” said Susan Savage, a Niskayuna Democrat who is chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature, about the number of new jobs to be announced. A senior Spitzer administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the jobs to be announced “could be as many as 500,” and the employees will be engaged in “the design and development of renewable energy technology.” Another source with knowledge of today’s event, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the number of jobs is 500 and GE’s investment is $40 million. The Spitzer official said the state is contributing $5 million through an Empire State Development Corp. grant. Thomas Rumsey, a spokesman for GE Energy, said several hundred new jobs would be announced, but declined to confi rm or deny the 500 figure. He said the new jobs would be in addition to the announcements this summer that 100 hourly employees would be hired at the Schenectady-Rotterdam plant, and that 150 professional workers would be hired there for a new wind energy product management and customer service center. Before those previous announcements, Rumsey said, GE employed 3,200 people at its plant in the city of Schenectady and town of Rotterdam. Savage said she understands the new jobs will be mostly in engineering. She said it would not be a wind turbine manufacturing plant. The new workers will be in one of the older office buildings in the Schenectady part of the plant, she said. GE makes steam turbines at a newer manufacturing building in the Rotterdam part of its complex. It also has a separate research facility in Niskayuna. Rumsey said today’s announcement “involves a number of our production lines including wind,” but declined to be more specifi c. This morning’s news conference is scheduled for the Building 37 auditorium. GE’s media alert about the event says it will “highlight GE Energy’s continuing investment and commitment to the Schenectady area.” Savage said the county would provide tax incentives to GE. Mayor Brian Stratton said he is not aware of the city providing incentives beyond what the company already qualified for through programs such as Empire Zones. Savage said GE could have put the jobs anywhere, and that today’s economic development announcement is the most significant in 20 years for Schenectady County. Savage said she became aware of the opportunity to get the jobs early this summer and contacted the governor. Stratton, who like Savage and Spitzer is a Democrat, said the deal is in part the result of his administration reaching out to GE and working with it, as opposed to the hostile previous relationship between the company and local government. GE drastically reduced its Schenectady work force over the course of many years from its peak of 47,000 during World War II, when it was producing equipment for the armed forces. Spitzer, Savage and Stratton are among the scheduled speakers today along with state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna. “This is the best news I’ve heard out of General Electric since I’ve been a senator,” said Farley, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976. Another Republican, Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, said he, too, is going to the event. While Tedisco is not one of the scheduled speakers, Rumsey said that was due to time constraints, and that the assemblyman would be recognized and invited onto the stage. The Spitzer administration official said this announcement is not part of the governor’s ongoing unveiling of specific economic development plans for upstate cities. Schenectady will be part of a Capital Region package that will be announced at a later date, the official said. The $5 million ESDC grant does not require new legislative approval, said the official.
Savage said the county would provide tax incentives to GE.
Quoted Text
Mayor Brian Stratton said he is not aware of the city providing incentives beyond what the company already qualified for through programs such as Empire Zones.
Quoted Text
The Spitzer administration official said this announcement is not part of the governor’s ongoing unveiling of specific economic development plans for upstate cities. Schenectady will be part of a Capital Region package that will be announced at a later date, the official said.
3 peas in a pod.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Stratton, who like Savage and Spitzer is a Democrat, said the deal is in part the result of his administration reaching out to GE and working with it, as opposed to the hostile previous relationship between the company and local government.
and that would be from what????....union corruptness, government corruptness, company corruptness etc....we reap what we sow.....and it is true about the bad apples spoiling the whole bunch.......
there is either a resurrection of 'the old bosses' or 'new bosses'.....it's all about namesake and payola.......there is someone with their hands on the reigns and whom ever raises their hand is 'it'.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
And dont think for a minute that the agreement between the autoworkers union and the factories about health insurance doesn't weigh into this.....especially this being NYS and all...not to mention--shhhh,,,Hillary and national healthcare......and maybe the mofiaosa bosses are all in nursing homes now......or maybe in hollywood with the Sopranos....hhhmmmm
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
In an editorial Sunday, we said the only thing better than General Electric making vacant land at the main plant available to Schenectady for economic development would be if it reused the land itself. Three days later, this is exactly what happened, with the company announcing Wednesday that it will add 500 new, highpaying white-collar jobs in its wind and solar operations as well as traditional power systems. Combined with the company’s recent decision to open a new wind turbine management and service center with 150 “high-end” jobs, it appears that, after many years of being off GE’s management’s map, Schenectady is back on. Thomas Edison and Charles Steinmetz would be pleased. It is hard to know exactly what goes into these decisions — to move jobs out of Schenectady, as the company did relentlessly in the 1980s and ’90s — or to bring them here. The primary considerations, of course, are business ones; and GE’s renewables business and its steam turbine division, still headquartered in Schenectady, are booming. But there may be other factors at work as well, like perceptions and realities of Schenectady. Unlike before, the county’s politicians and economic development officials these days are working together rather than fighting (an advantage of one-party rule). Because of that, and Metroplex, downtown is experiencing a renaissance. According to Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen, the company took note of this (and the prospect of an attractive urban lifestyle for its young unmarried engineers); as well as the fact that Erie Boulevard, the main plant’s gateway, will soon be getting a major makeover. Gillen also says that GE appreciated the amicable and professional way the county handled things when it had to refund the company $13 million in overpaid sales tax. Other factors that likely played a part were the cleanup agreement for the main plant reached with New York state, and now being implemented; the emergence of Tech Valley; and GE’s recent $130 million investment in the Research and Development Center in Niskayuna, where many of the innovations and discoveries in the renewable energy field have been, and will be, made. The state will provide $5 million for building renovations on the $39 million project. County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage credits Gov. Spitzer for that, but it’s probably something any governor would have done. A subsidy of $10,000 per job is chicken feed compared to the $1 million per job for the AMD plant in Saratoga County. Savage is right, however, that GE, which has 19 energy locations in 11 countries, could have put this operation anywhere. Thank goodness they put it here, and may there be more to come.
Unlike before, the county’s politicians and economic development officials these days are working together rather than fighting (an advantage of one-party rule).
How can one-party rule be considered "working together"? One party rule, as we have in the Schenectady County Legislature, Schenectady City Council, the Metroplex Development Authority, the Schenectady Public Access Television station (SACC), etc. is totalitarianism.
The Daily Gazette suggests in its editorial that one party rule is a positive arrangement. This may appeal to the liberal leaning Publisher and editorial staff of the Gazette, so long as the party in control shares their philosophy and ideology. To the public, however, one party rule, regardless of at which level of government it exists, is dangerous as it provides no checks and balances to counter extremism.
The residents of Schenectady must restore balance to our local government if we are to expect representation by our elected leaders. The absolute rule being exercised by Governor Spitzer and the Schenectady County Democratic machine will silence the voices of those who have legitimate differences of opinion regarding the role and the cost of government.
Unlike before, the county’s politicians and economic development officials these days are working together rather than fighting (an advantage of one-party rule)
This is probably the best advertisement for socializm that I have ever heard! What the hell are they talking about here?
People....THERE ARE NO ADVANTAGES OF A ONE-PARTY RULE!!
We have to start voting these clowns out and get a balance of power back 'in balance' so the rest of the populous can be heard and represented.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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