More than 100 of
the 156 furloughed workers at GM’s Massena New York powertrain plant who
thought they’d be returning to work this week instead are permanently losing
their jobs.
Congressman Peter Welch says he will support a limited
bail out package for the nation’s auto industry, but only if he’s convinced the
plan will save jobs, force the companies to redesign their cars and protect
taxpayers. Vermont officials are following the
issue closely, because there are several thousand good paying jobs in the state
that are tied to the auto industry.