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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

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