Chrysler workers rally to stop plant closing

On May 22 hundreds of laid-off Chrysler workers rallied in front of their plant in Twinsburg, Ohio. “The people have spoken, keep the plant open!” they chanted. Workers believe they were double-crossed when, two days after voting to grant Chrysler sweeping concessions, they read in the news media that Chrysler’s restructuring includes the closing of their plant and seven others.

Along with Twinsburg, three plants in Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri—Sterling Heights Assembly, Kenosha Engine and St. Louis North Assembly—were covered by a plant-closing moratorium in the 2007 Chrysler contract with the United Auto Workers. Union members regard the newly announced plant closings—Twinsburg is scheduled to close in March 2010—as an attack on their right to collective bargaining.

Many workers brought their families to the demonstration. They carried signs reading “People before profits” and “Keep our plant open.” They also chanted, “One, two, three, four, open up the factory door!” All but nine members of UAW Local 122 have been on layoff since Chrysler declared bankruptcy April 30.

The union called the demonstration to coincide with a visit to the plant by Dr. Ed Montgomery, President Barack Obama’s “auto recovery czar.” Montgomery was in Twinsburg to offer the town a “relief plan” to be set up after the plant closes. Twinsburg stands to lose nearly 20 per cent of its tax revenues. Local 122 wanted to send a clear message that the workers want to keep their plant open and will accept nothing less.

When this writer began working at the plant 22 years ago, it had 3,300 hourly employees. Now there are 800. After learning of the shutdown, workers were given a May 26 deadline to decide whether to quit, retire under a buyout program or stay with the hope of eventually relocating to another Chrysler facility.

Eight days before the deadline, the buyouts were enhanced, further complicating the workers’ decision-making process. Many workers are only a few months short of the 10 years’ seniority qualifying them for the enhancements, so they are trying to decide whether to leave now or gamble that the enhanced buyouts will be offered again later.

Chrysler has no compassion for the workers and their families, who’ve been given a mere eight days to make what for many is the hardest decision of their lives. Some are refusing the buyout, saying, “That’s what the company wants us to do—leave so they can replace us with workers making half our wages.” Others who are taking the buyout want to stay involved in the fight to reverse Chrysler’s job-gutting plans.

The workers are not alone in their struggle for justice. The honks of support from passing motorists during the two-hour protest were even louder than the chants.

Congresspersons Betty Sutton and Dennis Kucinich sent representatives to the demonstration. On April 30 they and other northeast Ohio members of Congress, as well as Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Twinsburg Mayor Katherine Procop, were assured by both Chrysler and the White House Auto Task Force that the Ohio stamping plant was staying open. Like the autoworkers, the politicians learned of the planned closing when Chrysler attorneys made the announcement in U.S. Bankruptcy Court the same day.

UAW members across the country are outraged by Chrysler’s arrogant and malicious disregard of the rights of their sisters and brothers. Local 122 members were joined by delegations from UAW Locals 573, 420, 1005 and 1050. Local 573 represents clerical and engineering staff at the Twinsburg plant as well as the Chrysler Parts Distribution Center in Streetsboro. Locals 420 and 1005 represent workers at stamping plants at Ford and General Motors, while Local 1050 represents workers at the Cleveland Alcoa plant, which supplies the auto industry. Alcoa workers had support from Local 122 during their strike of several weeks in 2006.

Solidarity also came from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, American Friends Service Committee, Jobs with Justice and Bail Out the People Movement. Members of Local 122 are discussing ways of further broadening community support.

There were no supporters in front of the plant from the right-wing element. The Pat Buchanans and the Rush Limbaughs only rail against NAFTA to turn workers in this country against workers in other countries. Many workers and labor leaders, unfortunately, are focused on saving “American” jobs. Some workers at the rally even carried signs calling for layoffs in Canada and Mexico, which are also part of America.

Solidarity across borders and across oceans is what’s needed to counter the brutal capitalist consolidation into fewer car companies with far fewer workers. Autoworkers everywhere are staging protests to assert their right to their jobs. They need to join hands in order to win.