Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio • 6

NEWS A6 DAYTON DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2006 Third shift at Moraine plant set to end naai" -ii- nr'ii' if- rTtiiMniiiilfCt 8 Vr'! liii -n i mJ lit ILi CHRIS STEWARTDAYTON DAILY NEWS Ratliff and David Hunger drop an engine onto the frame of what will become an SUV at GM's Moraine Assembly to $28. Production workers who lose their jobs are entitled for 42 weeks to receive unemployment benefits plus additional "subpay" that gets them to 95 percent of their net wage, union officials said. The benefits expire at that time for workers of less than 10 years experience, although they can be recalled when vacancies occur at ers now in its jobs bank nationally, and that number will eventually increase to about 7,500 with the Oklahoma City plant's shutdown. Analysts estimate that each worker in the jobs bank costs GM close to $130,000 a year in wages and benefits. That expense is of major concern to GM officials as they seek to cut costs to compete with foreign rivals.

July 17 Third-shift union workers with lengthy service can take the place of lower-seniority workers on first and second shifts, although third-shift workers generally tend to be younger and have lower seniority, company and union officials said. Slightly more than 1,000 of those who stand to lose their jobs at Moraine are hourly employees and about 100 are salaried workers, GM officials said. Typically, salaried workers are offered transfers to other GM plants if those are available, Flores said. Otherwise, severance payments and help finding outside jobs can be offered, although details remain to be worked out at Moraine, Peck said. The company's multi-billion dollar loss last year, the softening market for SUVs and the stiff competition from Asian automakers has brought new urgency to GM, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, "It is a change-or-die world that they're in right now," Cole said.

"Every part of the company has to contribute to the turnaround." GMs excess capacity, overstaff-ing and health care costs are adding as much as $2,500 to the cost of every vehicle, a competitive disadvantage it cannot afford, Cole said. The company is trying to reduce the number of idled workers in its jobs bank by offering them buyouts and early retirement, he said. Contact John Nolan at (937) 225-2242. its plant, said Michael Davis, the city's economic development director. The Moraine plant's record of productivity and reliability should help it in GM's estimation, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"I think it's a solid plant," said Cole, who was driving one of the Moraine plant's products, a GMC Envoy, as he spoke by cell phone Tuesday. "It's a good product." Contact John Nolan at (937) 225-2242. 25, 2006 Cutback means 1,1 JO jobs will go dark at assembly plant By John Nolan JnolanDaytonDailiiNews.com MORAINE General Motors Corp. plans to eliminate the third shift at its Moraine Assembly plant on July 17, the day workers return from the plant's customary two-week summer vacation shutdown. That means the last day of work for third-shift employees will be on June 30, union and company officials said.

GM informed the plant's hourly labor union of the decision Monday evening. GM had announced on Nov. 21 that, as part of a nationwide shutdown of excess auto production capacity that will wipe out 30,000 jobs, the company would eliminate the Moraine plant's third shift sometime in 2006, based on market demand for SUVs. The decision to end the third shift is based on current and forecast market demand for sport utility vehicles, plant spokeswoman Jessica Peck said. GM lost $8.6 billion in 2005, including $5.6 billion in North America, and has seen its overall share of the U.S.

auto market slide. The Moraine plant builds the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and Trail-Blazer SS, GMC Envoy and GMC Envoy Denali, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Moraine Revenue from GM is 30 percent of city's budget By John Nolan jnolanDaytonDailyNews.com MORAINE Tax revenue from General Motors Corp. accounts for 30 percent of the city's annual operating budget of $18 million. So, even though city officials mm) 7 lit I i I VI 1 believe plant will survive downturn the plant. Those with 10 years or more of service go into GM's "jobs bank" surplus labor pool, under which they resume receiving full pay under the union contract, which expires in November 2007.

can assign workers in its jobs bank to community service jobs, company spokesman Dan Flores said. The company has 5,500 work tion of SUVs at a sister plant in Oklahoma City. "We are not facing what some communities are facing," Hicks said. The city got a boost last year from a multimillion-dollar investment at the DMAX Ltd. plant, a joint venture of GM and Isuzu Motors America Inc.

that produces the Duramax diesel engine used in Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, among other vehicles. That prompted DMAX to hire an additional 80 production workers in 2005. A Force for Working Families afl-cio Automotive Conference Board The IUE-CWA invites all active and retired members from Delphi, General Motors, D-MAX and other concerned citizens to participate in the Mahoning Valley, "RALLY FOR OUR VALLEY" at Courthouse Square in Warren, Ohio GENERAL MOTORS WORKERS Mike Plant in this file photo. Ascender and Saab 9-7X. On Monday, production of similar SUVs at a sister plant in Oklahoma City ended, leaving the Moraine plant as the only GM assembly plant in North America building midsized, truck-based SUVs.

Moraine production workers start at $11 to $12 an hour and work their way up over 10 years to top hourly pay scales of $27 officials have known since November that GM planned sometime in 2006 to eliminate one of three shifts at its Moraine Assembly plant, David Cole the news on Tuesday that the third shift will end this summer came as a blow. "It's a huge hit to the city," City Manager David Hicks said. "We hope to manage around this so Why Cod (CO' and women who wear the uniform," Beane said. "He shouldn't even be out of prison." Though Farmer, who practices law in Columbus, has delivered motivational speeches around the country, he said this marked the first time he spoke in Dayton. Farmer was invited to share a message and heal old wounds, said Georgia Wortham, chair of the priority board.

"He was a young man when this happened. We have jails full of kids. He has gotten the message and turned his life around," Wortham said. "We need to try and let our young folks turn around." Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin said she was disappointed that a group of predominantly white police officers protested at a black history event. "It lets me know that we have a lot of work ahead to move toward understanding and forgiveness," McLin said.

"I charge us all to embrace our diversity." Farmer had no complaints about the picketers outside. "People have the right to protest. I am the lawyer who would protect their First Amendment rights," he said. Contact Joanne Smith at (937) 225-2362. I.

in a in do to Saturday, February The city has a good working relationship with the GM Moraine plant and will do all it can to support the plant's bid for future work beyond 2008, when its assignment for making SUVs runs out, Hicks said. Moraine officials said they try to visit GM's corporate headquarters in Detroit annually, in addition to maintaining contact with Moraine plant management. City officials hope to visit GM headquarters this spring and will seek to ensure that senior executives know of Moraine's support for 1 2:00 Noon Mobilizing Delphi Our Jobs Our Dignity Our Community RALLY FOR OUR VALLEY February 25, 2006 Courthouse Square Warren, OH 12:00 noon Sponsored by IUE-CWA A fuel ioi Wnn funm Local 717 that the residents don't experience a direct impact." GM is the biggest taxpayer of the more than 800 businesses in Moraine, a city of 7,000 residents. But city officials are still encouraged by the Moraine plant's array of current sport utility vehicle production, its record of productivity and GM's capital investments of $400 million in the plant since 1999, which have included an assembly building and improvements to the paint shop. GM on Monday ended produc Motorcyclists roll to soldiers' funerals The goal is to drown out anti-gay protesters Associated Press FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.

Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters. They call themselves the Patriot Guard Riders, and they are more than 5,000 strong, forming to counter anti-gay protests held by the Rev. Fred Phelps at military funerals. Phelps believes American deaths Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs thanking God for so-called EDs explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

The bikers shield the families of dead soldiers from the protesters, and overshadow the jeers with patriotic chants and a sea of red, white and blue flags. "The most important thing we can do is let families know that the nation cares," said Don Wo-odrick, the group's Kentucky captain. "When a total stranger gets on motorcycle in the middle of winter and drives 300 miles to hold a flag, that makes a powerful statement." At least 14 states are considering laws aimed at the funeral protesters, who at a recent memorial service at Fort Campbell wrapped themselves upside-down American flags. They danced and sang impromptu songs peppered with vulgarities that condemned homosexuals and soldiers. The Patriot Guard was also there, waving up a ruckus of support for the families across the street.

Community members came in the freezing rain to chant "U-S-A, U-S-A" alongside them. "This is just the right thing to do. This is something America didn't in the 70s," said Kurt Mayer, the group's national spokesman. "Whether we agree with why we're over there, these soldiers are dying protect our freedoms." USA POWELLDAYTON DAILY NEWS DAYTON POLICE OFFICERS Dan Mamula (left) and Ken Rondeau (right) were part of a group of about 30 off duty police officers protesting a visit to the Dayton Cultural and RTA Transit Center Tuesday evening by Columbus lawyer and motivational speaker Derek Farmer. Police officers protest at speech of ex-con The purpose of this rally is to bring focus on the potential impact the Delphi bankruptcy may have not only on the active and retired Delphi employees but on our communities as well.

This rally will be similar to the rally held in Dayton on December 10, 2005. Keynote speakers include CWA President Larry Cohen, IUE-CWA President James D. Clark, and IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board Chairman Henry Reichard. In addition to the IUE-CWA leadership, several Congressmen and other elected officials will be in attendance. Inmate-turned-lawyer convicted in slaying in 1974 By Joanne Huist Smith josmithDaytonDailyNews.com DAYTON It was a quiet protest, but an angry one.

Dayton's Fraternal Order of Police President Lt. Randy Beane said officers are livid that a man involved in the 1974 killing of a police officer and a civil rights leader would be asked to speak at the Southwest Priority Board's annual black history program. Twenty-eight off-duty police officers picketed in front of the Dayton Cultural and RTA Transit Center on Tuesday night as about 100 people entered to hear Derek Farmer speak. The police carried signs saying, "Why glorify a cop killer." Farmer was convicted on two counts of aggravated murder and served 18 years in prison. In 1999, he became the first convicted murderer in Ohio history to be sworn in as a lawyer.

"To have this man speak in our city as a motivational speaker is a blatant slap in the face of all men Mobilizing DePhl OUR I TOBS I Mobilizing Delphi 1 NO I CUTS I FOR II RETIREES I OUR DIGNITY.