Union workers speak on the strike

Union workers speak on the strike

LORDSTOWN — Union workers were supportive of today’s strike against General Motors, but expressed hope it would be over soon.

“We could be out for months or we could be going back to work tomorrow,” said Mike Zillinger of Warren, who has 34 years at the plant. “We just don’t know.”

Zillinger said he expected the walkout. “They’re asking too much,” he said of GM.

Charlotte Woodson of Canfield said she’s glad the union is trying to save jobs.

“We don’t want to strike, but it’s something that needs to be done to protect jobs,” she added.

She said workers support GM’s attempts to have the union take over retiree health care, but they want assurances that GM will leave the plants open.

“We all want to retire,” said Woodson, who has 25 years at the plant.

Lordstown is one of GM’s plants with an uncertain future. The company has committed to building the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 there only until June 2009.

Woodson added that she thinks a long strike would cripple GM because it has several new models that are going to be launched.

One worker, who did not want to be identified, noted that workers don’t have any direct information on the talks and are relying on news media reports to keep them informed.

“Hopefully, this will be very short,” he said.

Charlotte Thomas of Lake Milton, who has 25 years at the plant, said she hopes the strike will encourage people to buy American-made products.

“People don’t realize they will be out of a job if we are,” she said.

Workers are signing up for one four-shift of picket duty a week.