Comments by "ToughAncientSpark" (@freetolook3727) on "Why New York’s Secret Elevated Railroad was Abandoned | The High Line" video.
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General Electric was started by Thomas Edison. GE started out manufacturing light bulbs but branched out manufacturing generators, gas and steam turbines, and appliances.
When I worked there in the early 1970's the main plant employed 29,000 workers in three shifts. When I-890 was constructed they built it's exits to accommodate the workers going to and from work.
When I worked there the pay was better than anywhere else and the benefits were better than the State.
If you worked on a Saturday regardless of how many hours you worked during the week you got time and a half, if you worked a Sunday you got double time and if you worked on a holiday you got triple time.
GE had a savings program where you could have up to 5% of your paycheck deducted into a savings account and GE would match that amount. Guys with thirty years had hundreds of thousands of dollars saved.
The main turbine building is 1/4 mile wide, 1/2 mile long and was the largest manufacturing building in the world when built.
Then in the mid 1970's the layoffs started because of overseas competition.
It was a union shop so guys with the least amount of service went first. Men with 25+ years were getting bumped.
Then Jack Welsh took over. He came in with a vision to make GE profitable for the shareholders. His vision was that every division in the company should be either first or second in its industry.
So, divisions were sold off even though they were profitable, they were not #1 or #2. The GE light bulb division, the GE appliance division and others were sold off and no longer made by GE.
That meant massive layoffs and the devastation of the local economy.
Throughout the 1980's and 1990's GE petitioned the city of Schenectady to lower their tax rate. Of course Schenectady had a vindictive attitude towards GE and wouldn't adjust the taxes. So, GE went on a systematic campaign to demolish about 2/3 rds of the buildings on it's campus.
Now, there are some refurbished buildings in the front for offices and most of the large gas and steam turbine buildings remaining with about 6,000 people working there.
Hope that helps.
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