Fri Mar 12 2010
by Emily Canning-Dean
Reporter
Twinsburg -- Some workers at the city's Chrysler Stamping Plant may be able to remain with the company in a similar capacity after the local plant closes in March 2010, but doing so could require relocating to Michigan.
Chrysler spokesman Max Gates, based at the company's headquarters in Detroit, said approximately 430 workers of the 600 remaining at the Twinsburg plant will have the option of transferring to two stamping facilities in the Detroit area, where stamping work will be consolidated. Gates said the Warren, Mich., and Sterling, Mich., plants where these jobs would be transferred are scheduled to remain open.
Gates said the Twinsburg workers -- which will be selected for the 430 positions in Michigan based on seniority with the company -- have until Oct. 26 to decide if they want to relocate to Michigan.
UAW Local 122 President Doug Rice said he did not have an estimate as to how many of the 600 local plant workers might be willing to relocate, but did say there will be some kind of "relocation package" offered as assistance from Chrysler.
"It's a last resort to relocate," Rice said Oct. 8. "A lot of these workers have spouses with jobs here that wouldn't want to leave, or they don't want to uproot their kids."
Rice added he believes the Oct. 26 deadline does not leave workers enough time to make an educated decision.
"From what I understand, there are some businesses interested in our building," he said. "What if jobs become available at this plant, but many of our workers, thinking it was their last resort, committed to relocating in Michigan?"
Director of Community Planning and Development Larry Finch said about six companies have shown interest in the building, and letters of intent from interested buyers are due to the Capstone Advisory Group -- Chrysler's financial adviser -- by mid-October.
"I think we will have a better idea in January or February who will be purchasing the building," Finch said.
The Twinsburg plant was one of eight U.S. Chrysler sites that were not included in the sale to the new Chrysler. In June, after it was learned that the plant would close, 326 of the plant's roughly 1,000 employees chose to accept some form of a company buyout.
E-mail: ecanning@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172
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