PPG Announces Voluntary, Short-Term Layoffs

It's an unfortunate sign of the times: More layoffs in Texoma. But this time, people will have some "say" in the conditions, because the layoffs are now on a short-term, voluntary basis. Glass producer PPG asked for volunteers on Monday to take four weeks of unpaid time off. H.R. director Paul Molini says 14 workers have signed up to take a break starting on Sunday. The plant will ask for more volunteers to rotate with those workers. The workers who take the leave will be able to collect unemployment. Molini says it's common for p-p-g to ask for such volunteers every eight to 13 years, when the furnaces need to be re-built. But he says this year's situation *is* somewhat connected to the economy – because PPG is seeing a decrease in demand for its products, as the national economy slows.