Plant to remain open as it seeks more work

The local plant gains a reprieve of at least four or five months.
LORDSTOWN -- Lear Corp. has agreed to keep its Lordstown plant open on a month-to-month basis as it searches for more work for the plant, a union official said.
Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112, said the Michigan-based auto supplier was to withdraw a plant closing notice Monday.
Graham estimated that Lear would keep the plant open at least four or five months as it explores options. Union officials would assist the company in finding more work for the plant, he said.
Lear intended to close the plant Dec. 22 after issuing a 60-day notice in October. The plant has 105 workers.
Protesting the closing
UAW officials have been protesting the closing, saying that Lear had previously agreed to keep the plant open through 2008. Graham said Lear officials told union leaders last week that they would keep the plant open after the two sides held several meetings in Michigan.
A Lear spokeswoman could not be reached.
The plant has been making headliners, door pads and other car parts, but Lear said it was one of its plants that would be closed as part of a companywide restructuring.
Before 2004, the local Lear plant had made seats for cars produced at General Motors' Lordstown complex. When the complex started making the Chevrolet Cobalt, Intier Automotive Seating won the seating contract.
Graham said an agreement called for Intier to take 175 Lear workers to staff its new plant and Lear to keep its plant open. Union workers at Lear agreed to a new contract to help the company cut costs, he said.