GROVE CITY — Mayor Randy Riddle said this morning he was disappointed to learn that the GE plant in the borough will lay off 200 employees.

GE Transportation on Tuesday announced the layoff of those workers at the company's locomotive engine plant in addition to 1,480 layoffs at its plant near Erie.

The layoffs will be effective 60 days from now and will make 1,200 temporary lack-of-work layoffs permanent. The company also plans to eliminate an additional 230 hourly positions and 50 salaried jobs at its Lawrence Park plant near Erie.

Riddle said, "Anytime you have a layoff it's an unfortunate thing, and I admire the fact that GE kept these individuals employed as long as they could in this tough economy. Hopefully things will turn around."