Union still fighting to save jobs
Despite an announcement by GE Lighting, a Savant Company, that it intends to close its Bucyrus plant, the union’s leader said it will continue fighting to save jobs.
On Wednesday, Ben Sabol, the company’s director of communications, said that as part of a restructuring effort, GE Lighting, a Savant Company, would shutter the lamp plant at 1250 S. Walnut St. this fall. All 174 jobs at the plant would be eliminated, he confirmed.
In an email from the union representing workers at the plant, Will Evans, president of IUE-CWA Local 84704, urged bipartisan support of efforts to save the jobs.
“Workers at GE Lighting are still fighting for our jobs, we haven’t given up,” Evans said.
The union already has the support of Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat; and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democratic candidate in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race. Evans called on Ohio’s other senator, Republican Rob Portman, “to join our cause to save Ohio jobs.”
“There has been legislation introduced that would require all federal buildings to use LED bulbs assembled in the U.S. We believe this bill will change the economics of producing and marketing bulbs made in Ohio and will save our jobs,” Evans said. “But the legislation was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. We are calling on Senator Portman to support this legislation and the workers of Bucyrus.”
Plant halted production of A19 LED bulbs last year
Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the company and IUE-CW — the Industrial Division of the Communication Workers of America — the union can request a 30-day decision bargaining period in an effort to save the jobs.
It’s the same process the two sides followed after the company announced its plans to cease production of A19 LED bulbs at the plant in January 2021, eliminating 81 jobs, Sabol said Wednesday.
In that negotiation, the union proposed bringing in an outside expert from Michigan State University “to seek ways to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability through a joint labor management review of all of the current work processes.”
But the company rejected that proposal, and the line was shut down in early March 2021. Production of the bulbs was moved to China.
Sabol clarified that GE Lighting, a Savant Company, is not owned by General Electric Corporation. “In reality, we’re now a small business of 700 people owned by Savant Systems, Inc.,” he said.
In May 2020, the plant — along with facilities in Cleveland and Logan and a distribution center in Canada — was sold by GE to Savant Systems. The company has an agreement with GE to use “GE Lighting, a Savant Company” as its official name and to put the logo on its products, Sabol said.
At the time of the purchase, more than 700 employees worked at the four locations. The Logan plant in Hocking County also is scheduled to be closed as part of the restructuring.
Mayor reacts to announcement
“It’s a day of mourning, there’s no doubt,” Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser said Wednesday. He had no warning about Wednesday’s announcement.
“But the signs were there, even as far as a couple year back when they sold to Savant. We just couldn’t open up any lines of communication with them,” he said. “We were holding our breath all the time about them.
“When we lost the LED line, that was really, really a tough blow, because that’s the current technology in lighting.”
Reser, a Republican, said he spoke with the Bucyrus plant’s manager on Wednesday.
“He was very gracious,” he said. “He’s been with the company over 30 years, so it’s upsetting to them, too. They certainly don’t like to have to do this. I know it’s not easy for them.”
Jobs are available in the city and many employers are looking for workers, Reser observed — those positions may not pay as well, “but there are opportunities.”
‘Very capable people leading the union’
The building is owned by a real estate company, not GE Lighting, a Savant Company, he pointed out — adding that should bode well for its future. He anticipates the owners will be looking for a new tenant.
“I’ve had the opportunity to visit the plant many times, and taken tours,” he said. “It’s like a family out there. You can just sense that. They were very proud of their plant … it’s going to be a tremendous blow to them and their families.”
Reser said he has hopes for the decision bargaining process.
“We’ll see,” he said. “I know there are very capable people leading the union. And I know they’ll probably reach out to Senator Brown.
“The national thing here I think people may overlook is where is America going to buy their light bulbs? If you look at some of the ramifications … aren’t we learning lessons right now from supply chain issues that we’re having? You can’t get so many products on the shelf that we have to import.
“Light bulbs I think are one of those essential products, so I was hopeful that with the new owners, they would understand that. But apparently not. Couldn’t make it work.”
Reser said its time for both employers and state leaders to take a good look at rural Ohio.
“We all can’t be driving to Columbus to work,” he said. “Leaders in Ohio are going to have to look at the rural areas. We have good families and good people and good quality of life and a low cost of living here. We’re going to need a renewed effort for rural areas to bring manufacturing and additional jobs here.”
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