Thegatewaynews.com - No shutdown for Mopar workers

by Bob Gaetjens

Editor

Streetsboro -- Many Chrysler plants and facilities will be shut down for two weeks in July, but Streetsboro's Mopar Distribution Center is not among them, according to a Mopar spokesperson Patti Georgevich.

"Our plan is for any of the Mopar parts distribution centers to remain open," she said.

Georgevich said one option is keeping a minimal staff on hand at Mopar, which employs about 100, during the assembly line shut down, set for the weeks of July 7 and 14, she said.

Since Mopar supplies parts for repair facilities and customers, Georgevich said it's important to keep the center open.

"Our repair business isn't going to stop because people are on vacation," she said. "We'll make sure there's no blip [in supply]."

At plants manufacturing and assembling new cars, Chrysler is going review procedures to create more efficiencies and boost production, Georgevich said.

"The rationale is, we're taking a fresh look at many of the processes and practices across the Chrysler organization," she said. "It's a fairly standard industry practice."

Georgevich said about two weeks ago, the two-week shutdown was announced at assembly facilities, including the Twinsburg Stamping Plant, which employs 1,550.

Brian Peshek, a Kent resident and 11-year employee at the Twinsburg plant, said most employees were unaware of the shutdown, but had heard rumors from the media.

"We've had a steady diet of not-so-good news," he said.

Peshek said shutdowns are common for assembly plants, adding parts often need to be changed in the assembly line.

"What's not common, is for it to be corporate-wide," he added. "It adds to our concerns, but nobody is panicking."

Work stopped briefly in October at Chrysler plants, including the Streetsboro and Twinsburg facilities, when the United Auto Workers went on strike for 12 hours before reaching an agreement with Chrysler.

The Twinsburg plant employs 1,550, making it the city's largest employer.

The facility, which opened in 1957, stamps hoods, side panels and roofs for minivans, sport utility vehicles and three models of Jeeps, according to Chrysler's Web site.

Streetsboro's Mopar Distribution Center was nearly closed last year, but was saved when the UAW contract was passed, requiring the facility remain open.

Editor's note: Record-Courier staff writer Colin McEwen contributed to this article.

E-mail: bgaetjens@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3941