Drive It Home delegation gets assurance of support in Columbus

COLUMBUS

The ostensible purpose of the Drive It Home Ohio campaign trip Wednesday to the Statehouse was the presentation of a resolution from state lawmakers offering their support to Lordstown workers.

There also was an underlying message to the visit: “There are real people about to take these closures on the chin, and you’re looking at them.”

The trip was organized and led by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and United Auto Workers Local 1112.

The Drive It Home Ohio campaign is meant to build support for UAW workers and persuade General Motors to keep the Lordstown Assembly Plant in operation.

Though the delegation wasn’t especially large – about 20 people, it did include the mayors of both Warren and Lords-town, as well as chamber CEO James Dignan, UAW Local 1112 President Dave Green and three UAW members, among others.

The group was supposed to meet with full sessions of both the state House and Senate, but cancellations of both sessions forced an itinerary change.

The delegation met with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who reaffirmed his support for the plight of the workers during a brief session with Green, Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill, Dignan and Warren Mayor Doug Franklin.

“We want to provide the workers with all the certainty and opportunity that we can,” Husted said.

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