Rally kicks off ‘Rev Up’ campaign
Initiative urges people to buy American carsBy MARLY KOSINSKI / Tribune Chronicle
Article Photos
YOUNGSTOWN - Small town America is fighting to support the auto industry with its some 5,000 local auto workers, and B.J. Alan Co. said it plans to lead the way with "Buy American" incentives.
The fireworks company is one of the organizers of the Rev Up America initiative that held its kickoff rally Friday night at the Chevrolet Centre, which was attended by thousands. It was followed by a North American Hockey League North Division matchup between the Mahoning Valley Phantoms and the Traverse City North Stars.
However, the company was not ready to to release specifics of its program.
William Weimer, B.J. Alan vice president, said the company did not want to release details of its incentives program until next week.
"We want the focus tonight to be on the rally and the message we are trying to promote. We don't want the focus to be on us," Weimer said prior to the rally.
Bruce Zoldan, president of B.J. Alan Co. and owner of the Phantoms, said the company has a Buy American incentives program in place that he anticipates will serve as a template for other companies to follow. He said other businesses will use his company's qualifications criteria, but actual dollar amounts will be left up to each individual company.
Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112 at the General Motors Lordstown assembly plant and one of the event organizers, said interest in the rally was so great that the Chevrolet Centre could have sold out twice.
More than 4,000 free tickets were distributed, including some that were given out at the UAW union halls in Lordstown, Graham said. Some area auto dealers had some tickets mainly for their own employees.
U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan, D-Niles, said prior to Friday's rally that the collapse of the auto industry would have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the economy.
"If the auto industry collapses and the people who work at General Motors can't afford their houses, neighborhoods will be devastated by vacant homes and blight. If people lose their jobs, they won't be able to shop at their local retailers and businesses will start to close, " Ryan said.
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams kicked off the rally by saying the auto industry is the heart and soul of the Mahoning Valley and that is the message this area needs to send to Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, D-Alliance, said the rally was about putting America first.
"In this great stadium, we're going to talk about our future, not the past. Twenty-five percent of our economy is based on the auto industry and we need to give 100 percent of our support to make sure it stays that way," Boccieri said.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, said the time has come to stand up for America.
"America cannot afford to lose the auto industry. Ohio cannot afford to lose 100,000 auto-related jobs. And the Mahoning Valley cannot afford to lose GM," Wilson said.
The Rev Up America initiative also was organized by the Regional Chamber and area auto dealers.
|
FlashGordon
|
|
|---|---|
|
12-04-08 6:08 AM
|
Leave the retirees alone! They served their time and they had a deal set. What happens from here on out is up to the company and the union but leave the retirees alone!!
|
|
FlashGordon
|
|
|
12-02-08 8:55 AM
|
I may have mispoke about the jobs bank, I know Delphi had one but not sure about GM. Still, the fact remains that fat needs trimmed at the top and the bottom.
|
|
FlashGordon
|
|
|
12-02-08 8:52 AM
|
Not everyone wishes bad on the folks at GM semomof2. I surely do not. I do believe this is a concerted effort to break the back of the union by not only the corporations but the government also. When the congress of the United States wants to eliminate secret ballots for unions yet they continue to use secret ballots for their own purpose then that's a government working against the union. That said, the union folks that have been sitting in a jobs bank playing games and working on puzzles should not have been doing so. The union made a giant mistake in creating this jobs bank, it just gives the wrong impression to everyone. I hope the Big 3 come out ok, I hope they trim the fat at the top and the bottom and get back into the game and are successful. I think everyone can agree that there are elements in the company that can take a walk and in doing so will free up the people who do work hard and allow them to flourish along with the company and the economy.
|
|
semomof2
|
|
|
12-01-08 11:14 AM
|
As I have said before my husband makes $14/hour with NO BENEFITS WHATSOEVER on the assembly line. He gets two 23 minute breaks per 8 hour shift - this includes lunch and bathroom breaks. The rest of the 8 hours is spent on his feet working his butt off - yet he never complains and is just happy to have found a job.
|
|
fltrplntman
|
|
|
11-30-08 8:40 PM
|
I don't wish GM would close. In my honest opinion, they won't. The government knows the outcome. They just need to do some head cutting at the top. GM needs to do what Ford has been doing... Letting their overseas companies, help bail them out. The whole wonky thing about all this... Only the American offices are asking for bailouts... the foreign offices are doing well.
|
|
semomof2
|
|
|
11-30-08 4:47 PM
|
COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY MY HUSBAND IS A SPOILED EMPLOYEE BECAUSE HE WORKS AT GM????? I AM SOOOOO SICK OF YOU PEOPLE SHOWING PLEASURE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND WILL BE OUT OF A JOB SOON. I WOULD NEVER WISH HARDSHIP ON ANY OF YOUR FAMILIES!!!!!!
|
|
feuz1019
|
|
|
11-30-08 1:22 PM
|
GM is an old dinosaur that will soon be extinct replaced by an evolved species Honda and Toyota. Buy American jut not GM, Ford and Chrysler.
|
|
fltrplntman
|
|
|
11-30-08 8:33 AM
|
They did this in the late 80's early 90's and it backfired. It was called "Jump Start America" It ended in lawsuits.. My father was one of them. He bought a 91 Ford Crown Victoria.. Nice American car, so he thought. The denied the down payment reimbursement on this car as it was classified as an import. It was made in Canada. But when someone tried to buy a Mazda that was built in Michigan, they were denied also, but went to court and won. And it snow balled from there. There only a couple American cars with more than 70% NA content, and i thing they are trucks. I love the way they tout Saturn as an American car company. They started out as Isuzus built in the US now the NEW Saturn Astra.. is a Vauhall from the UK. Look it up.
|
|
smokm1bad88
|
|
|
11-29-08 6:33 PM
|
I would love to see GM fold, it's time for the spoiled cry babies see just how hard times are for everyone else.. You GM employees and ceo are soo spoiled it's pathetic
|
|
MD1533USMC
|
|
|
11-29-08 6:33 PM
|
Sure the unions have to take a cut to help GM survive! But if they do not, every job in this valley will suffer! Not just the GM employees! What goes around, comes around! To you Tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
|
|
Mindbender
|
|
|
11-29-08 11:48 AM
|
They did this back in the 80's. Now, it's 2008 and the same idiotic ideas are back. "Buy American". If we did this our house inventories would be next to nothing because everthing little thing has some foriegn ties to it. Let's just call this what it is: "Save our Jobs Campaign"...and if you think I'm going to spend my energy helping what I think is a corrupt, greedy union, clueless GM Employees (some), and a inefficent company to fatten their wallets, then your as foolish as the congressmen contemplating funding these idiots. Times have changed. Go back to school and get educated in something with a future, come down off your high horses....it won't hurt.
|
|
MD1533USMC
|
|
|
11-29-08 7:55 AM
|
Buy Local, Buy American, Buy GM to help support our valley! Period!
|
