| TRAFICANT, James A., Jr., |
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1998
Washington, D.C. – U. S. Rep. James A. Traficant, Jr. (D–OH) wants Ohio Governor George Voinovich (R) to direct the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services to provide 10,000 workers at the General Motors Lordstown, Ohio plant with unemployment compensation benefits. The workers have been idled because of a strike at two GM plants in Flint, Michigan. "By no fault of their own, the workers at the Lordstown facility have been ‘laid-off' due to the Flint walkouts," asserted Traficant in a letter sent this afternoon to Governor Voinovich. "I respectfully request you advise OBES to provide the 10,000 Lordstown facility employees with the benefits they are due."
Earlier this summer, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union members at two GM assembly plants in Flint went on strike. The labor dispute has closed more than 25 GM assembly plants and idled some 180,000 workers across the country. Nearly 18,000 Ohio GM workers have been effected.
"I am aware of the scheduled OBES hearing in Columbus regarding the GM-UAW labor dispute," noted Traficant in his letter to Governor Voinovich. "I am confident the facts in this case will show the GM Lordstown assembly plant workers have been laid-off due to a lack of manufacturing parts for production. The Lordstown employees have not actively called a strike, and therefore should not be held accountable for the Flint walk-outs," added Traficant.