Area lawmakers hear public cry for help for Ohio workers

The legislative committee hopes to create real recommendations, Sen. Cafaro said.

BY JORDAN COHEN

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

CHAMPION—A parade of representatives from General Motors Lordstown, unions and Trumbull County municipalities testified Friday before a special state legislative panel, and all had one thing in common — a plea for help.

“Our county needs help,” said Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112, Lordstown. “Our people are tired and can’t take much more.”

The five-member state legislative panel, including local members state Rep. Robert Hagan, of Youngstown, D-60th, and state Sen. Capri Cafaro, of Hubbard, D-32nd, is examining the economic impact on Ohio’s auto industry.

The Friday hearing at the Trumbull Campus of Kent State University was one of a series of statewide sessions to be conducted before a report with recommendations to help the stricken industry is submitted by the end of September.

“We’re not here to throw the community a bone,” Cafaro said. “We hope to create real recommendations.”

Members admitted early that it would not be easy. They appeared to be particularly concerned about the testimony of Karen Krolopp, president of IUE/CWA Local 717, who discussed the possible loss of health-care benefits for her local’s 10,000 retirees from bankrupt Delphi Corp.

“Bankruptcy laws need addressing,” Krolopp said. “They are a legal scam leaving casualties as part of the process.”

Krolopp told the panel that hourly employment at Delphi is down to 610 from a high of 13,000 more than 20 years ago. She was asked if she felt the remaining jobs are stable.

“As stable as a two-legged stool,” she replied.

John Donahoe, plant manager at GM Lordstown, asked the panel to recommend more tax credits for job retention rather than job creation. Dave Green, UAW 1714 president, called for tax credits for “Ohio companies that purchase from Ohio companies.” Graham called for reciprocal trade agreements to keep jobs from being shipped to Mexico. Tony Paglia, vice president, government affairs, for the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, asked for more tax breaks and incentives. Hagan did not appear to be sympathetic to the chamber’s position.

“We’ve cut $2 billion out of the budget and I’d like to hear a business person talk about bringing companies in by cutting the cost of health care,” Hagan said.

“The chamber hasn’t taken a position on health-care reform [proposals],” responded Paglia. “The devil is in the details.”

Hagan later acknowledged the panel’s options to help the auto industry may be limited. He said the panel and state should try to pressure the federal government to change bankruptcy and trade laws.

“We’re struggling and we have to find out what it is we can do,” Hagan said. “Maybe within the next couple of weeks, we may find something more tangible.”