Keep an eye on the new FieldCore organization. They are laying off full time field employees and requiring them to reapply as contract hires at a low ball pay wages. This is another cost-out and promotes competition that could assign a younger, cheaper and less experienced employee to a field job and keep an older more experienced person sitting on the bench not getting paid. A significant number of influential field engineers in my business area will likely walk away (in m y opinion). There is no appreciation in GE Mgt for the impact field engineers have in influencing customer decisions.
Don't be surprised if this model gets applied in other businesses and/or support areas.