Ohio officials meet with GM CEO Wednesday

By DAVID SKOLNICK

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman along with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and other members of the Ohio congressional delegation will meet today with General Motors CEO Mary Barra.

The idled plant in Lordstown will be discussed at the morning meeting in Washington, D.C.

Portman, a Cincinnati-area Republican, said Barra asked for the meeting.

“I’m still pushing hard for GM to use this plant,” he said. A GM product is “the best and most efficient use for that plant.”

Portman said he’s pleased GM announced in May it would invest $700 million and create about 450 jobs in Ohio.

But he had this question: “The thing that troubles me is [GM made] a big commitment in Ohio, but why couldn’t they invest in Lordstown?” he said.

Portman said he is trying “to get them to reverse their course and use that plant.”

Brown, a Cleveland Democrat along with Portman and Ryan, of Howland, D-13th, have lobbied Barra in person, on the telephone and in letters to have GM place a new product at the Lordstown Assembly Complex.

“I look forward to speaking with GM CEO Mary Barra” today, Ryan said. “I have many questions about the future of GM’s Lordstown plant and its plan to sell the plant to a start-up electric-vehicle company. Our workers and their families remain my top priorities, and I will ensure their voices will be heard in [the] meeting.”

During his Sunday town hall on CNN, Ryan said President Donald Trump “made a lot of promises to the workers in Youngstown. I think it would be nice if he’s spending $20 to $30 billion helping farmers deal with a crisis, he could spend $1 billion helping General Motors open that factory back up in [Lords-town], Ohio, and we can start providing electric cars and we’ll kick China’s butt that way instead of what he’s trying to do now.”

Last month, Brown called on GM to invest corporate profits and government windfalls in to the Lordstown facility.

“These Ohio workers have helped create GM’s financial success, and GM should treat these workers with the dignity they’ve earned by investing in Lordstown and bringing a new product to the plant,” Brown said.

GM announced in November 2018 it planned to idle five of its North American plants, including Lordstown.

GM ended production of the Chevrolet Cruze at the 53-year-old Lordstown plant in March, eliminating about 1,600 jobs left at a location that once employed more than 10,000.

It was disclosed May 8 that GM was in negotiations with Workhorse Group Inc. and an affiliated, newly formed entity to sell the Lordstown

facility for the production of electric vehicles there.

Workhorse, based in the Cincinnati area, specializes in electric delivery trucks. That same day, Gov. Mike DeWine said of the deal: “We have a long way to go. Cautious is probably the right word.”

Workhouse hasn’t provided details of the new company it’s created that would be involved in acquiring the Lordstown plant.

Portman said Barra is “going to want to talk [today] to us about Workhorse moving into the plant,” but he wants GM to invest there.