Portman continues ongoing negotiations with GM to reconsider Ohio plant closure

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) again met with General Motors (GM) Chairman and CEO Mary Barra this week to discuss the company’s recently announced reorganization plans, which include the shutdown of its Lordstown Assembly plant in the senator’s home state of Ohio.

Sen. Portman and his colleague U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) hosted a Dec. 5 meeting with Barra about the GM decision to put the plant in Lordstown, Ohio, on “unallocated status.”

“We’re very disappointed by that decision,” said Sen. Portman, with Sen. Brown by his side during a press conference after the meeting. “We believe that the workers and the community of Lordstown have proven themselves time and time again for almost five and a half decades. Those workers have done their part.”

Barra said last month that GM is hastening proactive steps to improve its overall business performance, including the reorganization of its global product development staffs, the realignment of its manufacturing capacity, and a reduction of salaried workforce – actions she said are expected to increase annual adjusted automotive free cash flow by $6 billion by year-end 2020 on a run-rate basis.

Such actions, Barra said in a Nov. 26 statement, will make GM “highly agile, resilient and profitable, while giving us the flexibility to invest in the future.”

But rather than shut down the Lordstown plant, Sen. Portman has suggested that GM consider using the production site to manufacture its newer vehicles.

Nevertheless, Barra said the Ohio location is one of three assembly plants that will be unallocated in 2019 by GM.

Sen. Portman remains relentless.

“Just as the workforce has stood with General Motors over the years, we expect General Motors now to stand with this workforce and give them a chance,” the senator said on Wednesday, telling the media that they all talked about “the possibility of bringing another product into the plant.”

“That’s what we’d like to see,” said Sen. Portman, pointing out that GM plans to build 20 new electric vehicles in the next five years. “We want one or more of those models to be built in Lordstown, Ohio. That’s where it belongs.”

The lawmaker said he and Sen. Brown “are going to continue to work at every level” of government to convince GM to make a new decision about the Ohio plant.

In fact, he said, the senators “spoke to President Trump today on this issue. He’s very committed to helping us keep this assembly plant in Ohio.”

“We’re trying everything we can to ensure that these workers in Lordstown get the support they deserve now and are able to build another product,” said Sen. Portman. “We’re not asking for charity. What we’re asking for is to give the community and workforce the opportunity to once again show what they can do.”

Both senators called this week’s discussion with Barra part of “ongoing negotiations” with GM. However, the CEO “has said to us that she is going to keep an open mind but does not want to raise expectations,” Sen. Portman said.