Lordstown workers to get $9,000 bonus

Staff/wire report

LORDSTOWN

The year has started out positive for workers at the Lordstown General Motors plant where the automaker’s top-selling Cruze is built.

Today, GM announced it turned a $2.8 billion profit in 2014 and with that up to $9,000 in profit-sharing payments for more than 48,000 workers, including about 4,500 employees at the Lordstown plant.

“GM understands they work their tails off,” said Glenn Johnson, president of the United Auto Workers Local 1112. “In turn they have been rewarded.”

Johnson, who spoke for the about 3,000 workers he represents in the Lordstown East Complex assembly plant, said after the profit-sharing formula was renegotiated in 2011 workers were able to receive $7,000 in profit-sharing payments.

“But because of the GM’s ability to do the right thing by workers” they received a $2,000 performance bonus, Johnson said.

“I really believe GM, in its infinite wisdom, knew the workers had nothing to do with recalls,” he said.

Yet those workers have helped the company’s profits, he said.

This news came a day after it was released that the Cruze broke January sales records and continued its sales momentum from 2014  — the highest sales year for the Cruze yet.

Read more about the situation in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.