UAW Local 1714 re-elects officers

By Don Shilling

Two union positions will be settled by runoff elections.

LORDSTOWN — The top two officers of United Auto Workers Local 1714 have been re-elected.

Dave Green received 55 percent of the vote Tuesday in a five-way race for president. He defeated Lou Cerimele, Scott Lee, Rick Vargesko and Jim “Tyler” Sinn.

Green was elected to his first three-year term as president. He was elevated to the post from his position as vice president when Jim Kaster retired in 2007 to take a job with the state attorney general’s office.

Will Adams, shop chairman, was re-elected to a second term. He received 70 percent of the vote in defeating Bill Sproul and Jeff Perry.

The shop chairman is the lead bargainer for the local.

Green said the goal for the next three years is to launch the Chevrolet Cruze successfully.

“I think three years from now we’ll be in a much better position than we are today,” he said.

Local 1714, which represents workers at the fabricating plant, has 340 members laid off, and about 650 working. Close to 150 additional workers are expected to be laid off this summer when the renovation of the plant’s body shop is completed.

GM also has made major cutbacks in UAW Local 1112, which represents workers at the assembly plant, because of the national slowdown in car sales.

GM hopes to improve small-car sales by replacing the Chevrolet Cobalt with the Cruze. The new car is to be launched in April 2010.

Tuesday’s results at Local 1714 will lead to runoff elections for vice president and guide. That election will be May 26.

Union rules require the winning candidate to receive a majority of votes. If no one receives more than 50 percent of the votes in a race, there is a runoff election.

Mike Polder and Bobby Morales will square off for vice president. Mark Ray Haeffner and Mike French also had been in that race.

Jim Cecere and Casey Dickson are competing for the position of guide. Philip Brown and Cal Peals were eliminated by Tuesday’s results.

Also elected Tuesday were Louis Robinson Jr., recording secretary; Dennis Voytko, financial secretary; and Kelvin Harlemon, Sherry Gaunt and Richard Oliver, trustees.

shilling@vindy.com