TURNER CONCERNED ABOUT FUYAO-UAW VOTE

Union calls letter from congressman about unionization ‘unfair.’

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, expressing concerns about an upcoming unionization vote at Fuyao Glass America, said in an open letter that the United Auto Workers — the union trying to organize the Fuyao plant — played a distinct role in the closure of that plantwhen it was still a General Motors facility almost a decade ago.

That’s a role neitherGMnor the UAW have ever acknowledged, and the UAW is denying it now.

Rich Rankin, director of the UAW region that includes the Dayton area, said Turner’s open letter on the matter is “unfair” to the UAW.

“We never negotiate to close plants,” Rankin said.

In an open letter released this week, Turner touches on the history of the plant, where Fuyao today has 2,000 workers.

Fuyao is located in what once was a GeneralMotors SUVassembly site. Before it was closed in late 2008, workers there were represented by the IUE-CWA. At the time, GM-Moraine was the only GM plant represented by the IUE-CWA.

In years past, auto industry observershavewonderedwhether the plant’s status as an IUE-represented facility worked against it.

In a2012Wall Street Journal article, for example, the newspaper said in negotiations between the UAW and GM more than a year after the Moraine plant closed, Moraine’s 2,500 laid-off workers were barred from transfer-

‘We never negotiate to close plants.’ Rich Rankin, director of the UAWregion that includes the Dayton area

ring to other plants, “locking them out of the industry’s rebound.”

“Many in our community remembertheMoraine facility was once a thriving GM facility and was shut down because of a deal byGMand theUAW,” Turner said in his open letter. “Thousands of jobs were lost. Why would we trust the UAWwith such an important sitewhen they played a role in its prior closure?”

“That plant is no longer a GMfacility, sowewould not comment on someone else’s business,” said GM spokeswoman Mary Ann Brown. She referred questions to the UAW.

“I don’t know everything that happened with the GM-Moraine assembly plant, but I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that the UAWhad nothing to do with that plant closing,” Rankin said.

“It was just bad times,” he added, noting that the nation was in a recession at the time of the GM-Moraine closure. “You knowthis, the Republicanswere just deadset against any assistance to the auto industry.”

UAW spokespeople also referred to two letters the union released last month, includingonesignedbymore than 30 local politicians and officials, urging Fuyao leaders to work with a union should employees choose that route.

TheUAWalso referred this news outlet to an Oct. 16 letter fromSen. SherrodBrown.

In a phone interview, Turner said itwas “well-documented” that the UAW played a role in the closure of GM-Moraine.”Theywere working against us,” Turner said of the UAW.

JimClark, president of the IUE-CWA, declined to comment on the matter.