Another GM Lordstown supplier is announcing 73 lost jobs

Staff report

WARREN

Another General Motors Lordstown supplier is announcing layoffs ahead of the plant’s scheduled idling next month and the loss of 73 jobs.

Germany-based Leadec Corp., an industrial service provider for the Lordstown plant with U.S. headquarters in Cincinnati, announced Wednesday it will permanently lay off 63 United Automobile Workers Local 1112 workers and 10 nonunion employees effective March 8, according to a Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice filed Tuesday with Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The company cited “unforeseen business circumstances,” as GM will no longer require its contractual services with Leadec after March 8, according to the notice. The notice comes a little more than two weeks before the expected end of production at the plant, though WARN notices must be filed 90 days before the layoff date.

Dave Green, president of Local UAW 1112, said Wednesday: “Our negotiators are working with all the companies trying to find the best path moving forward.”

The majority of the Leadec union jobs on the chopping block are janitorial or “booth cleaner” positions, according to the notice. Of the 10 salaried employees, nine are supervisors and one is a site inspector. The job losses affect all employees, regardless of seniority, according to the notice.

“Except for hourly bargaining employees whose bumping rights are governed by seniority provisions contained in the collective bargaining agreement, employees do not have bumping rights,” the notice states.

Leadec Corp. is the third GM Lordstown provider to announce a mass layoff since the automaker announced the plant would go unallocated and some 1,600 workers would be let go. Layoffs at Magna Seating of Lordstown and Comprehensive Logistics of Austintown accounted for another 300 lost jobs.