×

Drive It Home hitting the road to Columbus

WARREN — The coalition trying to save the General Motors plant in Lordstown will today, in a sense, storm the capital to try to garner support from Ohio lawmakers for the effort.

“The goal is to continue to raise the positive message the Drive It Home campaign has been spearheading — we have a great workforce here in our market, great access to the freeway, have kept that plant for 52-plus years and we’re hoping to continue that,” said Nick Santucci, director of government and public affairs for the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber. “The ultimate goal is to solidify support.”

A bus with about 20 coalition members will depart the United Auto Workers Local 1112 hall at 8 a.m. to head south to Columbus.

A meeting already is planned with state Reps. Michael J. O’Brien, D-Warren; Glenn Holmes, D-Girard; Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown; and Emilia Sykes, D-Akron; and there are attempts to meet with Republican House Speaker Larry Householder of Glenford and Republican Senate President Larry Obhof of Medina.

“We want to show we are a community united to ask for their support and encourage them to advocate for the reallocation of that plant and get a new product in Lordstown,” said Santucci.

Attending from the chamber include James Dignan, president and CEO; Sarah Boyarko, the chamber’s chief operating officer; and other economic development officials.

This is the second big trip undertaken by Drive It Home Ohio.

A contingent in January drove to Detroit for the North American International Auto Show to show solidarity behind the plant and for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s efforts to convince GM to assign a new vehicle to the plant. DeWine met with GM CEO Mary Barra on Jan. 17 at the automaker’s headquarters in Detroit.

The plant is among five in North America the automaker announced in November it intended to idle in March. Joining the announcement was the news the Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze — Chevrolet’s No. 5 best-selling vehicle in 2018 — will no longer be produced.

The last day for the approximately 1,600 blue- and white-collar employees at the plant is March 8. About 370 of those blue-collar workers already have been placed at another GM facility. The automaker has announced it has 2,700 jobs at other factories for 3,330 U.S. factory workers.

rselak@tribtoday.com

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today