Work Set For Area Roads 
The Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation Plans The Following Road Work 
This Week.

Airport Gets $200,000 Grant For Road Work

By ANTHONY COLAROSSI; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Saturday, December 17, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





ALLENTOWN -- At least 609 Pennsylvania Power &amp; Light Co. employees accepted
an early retirement package in time for the offer's Dec. 15 cutoff date,
company spokesmen said Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The work force may shrink by another 1,000 jobs during the next three years
as the utility continues to restructure, said Michael E. Kroboth, PP&amp;L's
general manager of human resources and development. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We don't have all the specifics on how that work force will be reduced,"
said John M. Levitsky, PP&amp;L's Wilkes-Barre area manager. "We can't say for
sure where we'll be three years from now. We'll do anything reasonably
possible to avoid layoffs during the restructuring, but we can't rule it out." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officials could not say exactly how those jobs will be eliminated. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The number of local employees accepting the current retirement package was
not available on Friday either. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We don't have those figures just yet," Levitski said. He added that he
would provide the local numbers by Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 About 850 employees who will be age 55 or older by the end of this year
were eligible for the early retirement plan. The package provides supplemental
monthly payments and a one-time lump sum based on company seniority, Kroboth
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to preliminary PP&amp;L figures, 248 management and 361 union
employees accepted the offer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The number of retirees may increase because some responses to the offer
were mailed in, the company said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This program is a natural step in our continuing effort to streamline and
reorganize PP&amp;L's work force," Kroboth said. "While we will miss the
experience of these valued employees, we must search continually for ways to
become more effective and efficient to be an industry leader in an area of
increased competition." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The company work force has dropped from 8,300 workers three years ago to
about 7,000, after the retirements of those who accepted the package. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Most retirements take effect by the end of this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

More Than 600 Take Early Retirement From Pp&l The Utility Is Looking To Cut Another 1,000 Jobs During The Next Three Years, Says A Spokesman