Community still fighting for GM Mansfield: Letter to GM CEO Henderson Questions Flint Plant
For all intents and purposes the decision to close GM’s Mansfield, Ohio stamping plant has been made. However, community leaders, UAW officials and ex-employees are desparately trying to convince CEO Fritz Henderson to reconsider. Adding fuel to the fire is several recent reports claim the Mansfield plant was more productive–and profitable–then other GM plants to be spared. Feeling the pressure, the committe behind ‘Mansfield Makes Sense’ pointed that out in their letter to Henderson.
Here is a copy of the letter….Joe
To: Frederick “Fritz” Henderson, General Motors CEO
Ron Bloom, Chair, President’s Auto Task Force
From: Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM Committee
Date: July 15, 2009
“If industrial communities want an explanation, then I’m sure they (GM) would go and talk to them. We
expect the company to be as open and transparent as possible.”
Ron Bloom, President Obama’s Auto Task Force member
On behalf of the #1 performing stamping plant within General Motors, its 1,200 dedicated, hardworking
employees and the communities within North Central Ohio that will be devastated by the
announced closure of the Ontario-Mansfield Metal Center, we need your help in getting an explanation
of what appears to be GM’s poor business decision to close this plant. We strongly believe that
“Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM” and that this plant is best-positioned to help the
company succeed.
We are requesting that you meet with us to review the material that we have compiled – data that comes
from GM itself – that clearly demonstrates and validates the value of the plant to the company’s future.
We understand that GM has to make some tough decisions to reorganize the company for the future, but,
to date, we have not been given satisfactory answers to important facts and critical questions, including:
• Mansfield was first in the GM Scorecard evaluation.
• The cost per ton at Mansfield is the second lowest of the plants; without the added-in costs for laid-off
workers, it’s the lowest.
• Mansfield has the best Competitive Operating Agreement in the company, and served as the model for
the other agreements that were reached.
• Mansfield is the only plan that has met the company’s production goals in Strokes per Hour, Line
Transition, and Hours Operated per Die Change
In short, the plant and its workers have done all that the company asked of them – and then some – yet
it’s become first on the chopping block. That doesn’t make sense and causes us to wonder about how the
decision was reached.
We – and the taxpayers of America, who collectively have a tremendous financial stake in the
company – need to have a better explanation of this decision, particularly given the inordinate and is
proportionate negative impact this closing will have on the community. The Mansfield-Ontario Metal
Center has a $190,000,000 economic impact on the region; it represents 40% of the income tax revenue
The GM logo is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation
for the City of Ontario (population 5,500). That level of economic damage is troubling and should be
factored into the equation.
Time is growing short. The dismantling of the plant is accelerating and – if it is allowed to proceed
without a meaningful review – the company’s “asset” will have a dramatically decreased value. We
urgently request a review and personal hearing with you to present the details of our case. A delegation
from Mansfield will meet with you to present our case…any time, any place. We look forward to your
prompt response.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Bender Donald Culliver Gary Utt
Mayor of Ontario Mayor of Mansfield Richland County Commissioner
cc: Mr. Ed Whitacre, Chairman GM Board of Directors
Members of the President’s Auto Task Force
