1,500 GM retirees attend meeting today on benefit cuts


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UAW 1112 shop chairman Bob Marstellar passes out information to GM/UAW retiree Larry Ayers of Austintown outside Metroplex Hotel in Liberty Tuesday. More than 1,500 retirees attended the meeting to find out details of health care plan.

LIBERTY — Many General Motors retirees are accepting benefit cuts as necessary but are worried about what they will give up next.

“This is just the start,” said Roger Kuhn, 59, of Leavittsburg.

Kuhn, who retired from the Lordstown complex eight years ago, said he expects he will soon be paying for half of his health-care insurance.

Kuhn was one of about 1,500 retirees who gathered this morning at the Metroplex Hotel to hear about a revised labor agreement completed just before GM headed into bankruptcy last week. Another 1,500 were expected for an afternoon meeting of United Auto Workers Local 1112.

The other union at the Lordstown complex, Local 1714, had its retiree meeting Monday.

The revised contract calls for retirees to give up their dental and vision insurance but maintains their health-care insurance and pensions.

For the complete story, see Wedneday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com