Momentive Performance Materials Inc. & The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company & Gannett Company Inc.

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., a locally based manufacturer, will cut the base pay of 40 percent of its workers in Waterford next month. The company announced the move to the 1,000 employees at the Waterford plant recently. A Spokesman said the wage cuts, which will average 25 percent, are designed to prevent the need for permanent layoffs. In addition, up to 20 percent of the plant's hourly workers have been temporarily laid off through the rest of this year in response to the "current severe economic recession" and weakening demand from customers in the automotive, construction and textiles industries.

Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America Ltd. has followed through on its plan to reduce its Tonawanda plant workforce with more than 140 employees exiting. According to an official with United Steelworkers Buffalo Local 135, 52 workers accepted a company buyout while roughly 90 are being laid off. The plant has some 1,100 production workers. Dunlop said in October it would reduce the workforce due to a slowdown in tire sales.

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle said recently it is eliminating 59 jobs, or 8 percent of its workforce, to pare expenses during the weak economy. The Gannett Co.-owned daily newspaper said it will lay off 34 employees and has already accepted 14 voluntary reductions, three of them in the newsroom. In addition, 11 open positions will not be filled, it said. The newspaper has not yet specified how many of the layoffs will occur in the newsroom. After the cuts are made, it will have 680 full-time and part-time employees. Each of the departing employees will get up to 26 weeks of severance pay, depending on years of service.