Hundreds being recalled at JLG in McConnellsburg to work on MRAPs

JLG got its fourth MRAP contract with the federal government this month for all-terrain armored vehicles to be used in Afghanistan, with some of the work to fill that contract going to the McConnellsburg plant.

Ann Stawski, vice president of marketing and communications at JLG headquarters in Oshkosh, Wis., said JLG has already called back 400 furloughed workers at the Fulton County plant and will recall another 250 in the near future.

"This is welcome news for our area," said Mike Ross, president of Franklin County Area Development Corp. "It represents a shot in the arm for our manufacturing sector but will also have a ripple effect on the region's economy as a whole."

The training grant, which will be disbursed from federal displaced worker funds, will be matched by JLG.

JLG in McConnellsburg builds aerial access equipment and the Fulton County plant has suffered from a downturn in the economy, forcing it to lay off workers.

Stawski said that globally, JLG suffered a 50 percent loss of jobs as the recession set in last year and orders for such things as the aerial platforms made in McConnellsburg slipped.

When the company received the MRAP contracts, it geared up the plant to retrain workers to build and outfit the new military vehicles.

Stawski said employment at the McConnellsburg plant has increased 42 percent since June when the facility began gearing up to convert to MRAP production. Today, 1,300 people work at the plant.

In announcing the training grant, Gov. Ed Rendell said the recession has made it tough for all employers in Pennsylvania and the workers who rely on them for jobs, particularly in manufacturing.

"As new orders dropped, JLG Industries was forced to make significant layoffs, which was devastating to the affected workers and the local economy," he said.

He said it is good news that the company now has the business to recall those workers, but they need to enhance their skills.

"That's where the commonwealth comes in, with $300,000 in federal dislocated worker funds that will be used to train those 680 workers," Rendell said.

In addition to the 650 furloughed workers being called back, JLG will create 30 new jobs at McConnellsburg necessary to fill the MRAP contracts.

Rendell said the jobs at the McConnellsburg plant that will be supported by the MRAP contracts and the Workforce Investment Act retraining grant will be in the $12- to $20-an-hour range.

Federal dislocated worker funds are available to support local training, education and re-employment activities for workers who have lost their jobs through mass layoffs. JLG's McConnellsburg plant laid off several hundred workers this year.

Rendell praised JLG and its local operations, saying that through its involvement with the local Industry Partnerships, the company was "well-positioned" to have a program prepared and in place when it received the training funds.

He said the training money puts money into the local economy immediately while providing skills that can keep people working long term.

Stawski said the McConnellsburg plant expects to produce 500 of the armored vehicles per month by December.

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Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or vtaylor@publicopinionnews.com.

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