LYNN – GE union workers toted protest signs and attempted to catch the attention of motorists passing by the gear factory’s Lynnway gate Tuesday.The employees are concerned the company will take away benefits from retirees and future hires as part of any new labor contract reached. The current national contract expires June 17 and negotiations are underway in New York City.Tuesday’s protest theme was “Stand Out for Your Future” and three shifts of workers were scheduled to participate at the Lynnway gate and at the aircraft engine plant entrance on Western Avenue.”We are one week away from Sunday night,” said IUE-CWA Local 201 President Jeffrey Crosby, referring to the contract deadline. “The company is threatening huge takeaways from future hires. They are hinting at large medical cost increases.”Crosby said IUE-CWA Local 201 Business Agent Ric Casilli reported from New York that pressure is building at the negotiating table. “The last seven days will decide what is in GE’s final offer Sunday night,” he said. “We don’t want to wake up next Monday morning and find out we are either on strike since there is an unacceptable offer to our national Negotiating Committee, or facing a vote on a lousy tentative agreement.”Richard Gorham, GE spokesman in Lynn, said the company does not comment while negotiations are ongoing.”We’re optimistic that the two sides will come to agreement on a contract that totally provides employees with competitive wages and benefits, but also keeps GE’s diverse businesses, aviation among them, competitive in their respective markets,” Gorham said.Tuesday’s demonstrations closely followed a workers’ rights hearing held earlier in the day at North Shore Community College, where GE union members joined labor and health care activists to discuss the decline of employee medical benefits offered by businesses and municipalities statewide.