Albuquerque Mayor Seeks Summit with GE Chief
September 18, 2009
Quick links+
The mayor of Albuquerque, NM, is calling for a meeting between General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt and the New Mexico congressional delegation to make the case for preserving the company’s jet engine facility in Albuquerque, where more than a thousand local jobs hang in the balance.
GE has said it intends to close the facility in 2010 and has thus far been unwilling to seriously consider proposals from local lawmakers or union representatives seeking upgrades or alternatives for the facility, which currently produces jet engine parts for commercial applications.
“I am asking you to meet with our congressional delegation in the immediate future in Washington, D.C. to discuss the General Electric facility in Albuquerque, NM,” wrote Mayor Martin J. Chavez in his September 15 letter to Immelt. “The delegation intends to present compelling reasons to preserve the facility and its hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Albuquerque or present a new mission for General Electric here.”
Chavez urges Immelt to upgrade the existing plant or to consider alternative investment in the area, including a wind turbine or alternative energy plant in the Albuquerque area. “Our city is becoming a leader in alternative energy production and we would welcome General Electric’s participation in this endeavor,” wrote Chavez.
