LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Louisville-based GE Appliances, which has taken heat for continuing to operate its appliance factories amid the coronavirus pandemic, said Tuesday that its hourly employees and service technicians will get an additional $2 per hour in “appreciation pay” during the month of April.
“The additional pay is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ for their efforts during this challenging time in our world,” the company said in a news release.
Meanwhile, the president of the local union that represents about 3,800 rank-and-file workers released a letter to members Tuesday suggesting tensions between the company and union have cooled. Last week, the union had floated the possibility of a strike and called the company “reckless.”
“I understand that there is more that needs to be done, but we are working through these with the company in hopes to address any areas of concern that our members face,” Dino Driskell, president of IUE-CWA Local 83-761, wrote in the letter to members.
In addition to the temporary raise, Driskell said GE Appliances has agreed grant leave to workers with childcare issues, underlying health issues or eldercare issues.
While those workers won’t be paid, they will be able to draw unemployment benefits, Driskell said in the letter.
“Given that the (Louisville Metro) Health Department has deemed Appliance Park to be within standards to operate and the Governor has deemed us to be an “essential business”, we had to turn our efforts to minimizing risk to those with underlying health issues, childcare, and eldercare issues as well as a monetary gain for those that don’t fall within the categories listed,” Driskell said in the letter.
This story will be updated.
