Kenosha sends a plea to Obama and Marchionne

Kenosha's autoworkers rallied tonight to save their endangered Chrysler manufacturing plant. More than 350 members of UAW Local 72 crowded into the union hall on Washington Road to make the case for keeping their engine plant operating.

But the two most important people -- the two who arguably will make the final decision -- were not in the room: President Barack Obama and Fiat chief executive Sergio Marchionne. Were they even listening?

The message sent loud and clear to Obama was this, as expressed by many, including Glenn Stark, union president: "We feel only anger and betrayal." How can Obama, they ask, put $12 billion of taxpayer dollars into a company that will simultaneously eliminate American jobs while opening a similar plant in Mexico.

The message to Marchionne was equally clear: "We want Chrysler to emerge from bankruptcy as a strong company, and we want Kenosha to be a part of it."

Stark called the Kenosha closure -- due to take place in 2010, according to Chrysler officials, although the real decisions first have to be made in the bankruptcy court from which Fiat is hoping to pick up the automaker -- "a betrayal of Wisconsin taxpayers. Kenosha is the last auto manufacturing plant in the state," he said, referring to GM's just-shuttered Janesville truck factory. "Wisconsin deserves better."

"American dollars for American jobs," shouted someone in the crowd, to enthusiastic applause.

Applause for Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman from Jim Kreuser,
Cory Mason, Bob Turner, Barbara Lawton (from left)

The room was filled with autoworkers and their supporters. On the stage behind the speakers people held dozens of hand-made signs with messages like "American jobs are worth fighting for," "Save our jobs," and "We gave. Now it's your turn. Don't ship our jobs." Below them were union officials and local politicians. Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman, former Congressman, now Assembly Rep. Peter Barca, Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, Racine Assemblymen Bob Turner -- running for mayor tomorrow -- and Cory Mason. On the table in front of them: quality and productivity awards won by the plant in years past.

Bosman said, "I'm not about to give up until they turn out the lights and put a lock on the door." County Executive Jim Kreuser said, "I'm here with a heavy heart. We are down, but we are not out." Gov. Jim Doyle has sent a letter to Obama -- with many co-signers -- stating that Chrysler should amend its bankruptcy plan, and give priority to its U.S. plants over foreign factories.

Kreuser said the governor, who has met with Obama on a number of occasions, must get to the president "so in some way,shape and form we keep the plant open." He noted that each of the plant's 800 jobs supports another 1 1/2 jobs elsewhere in Wisconsin. So the impact on the state is really 2,046 jobs -- some $94 million in wages, and $450,000 a year in property taxes to Kenosha.

The crowd booed whenever a speaker mentioned Kenosha's closing in the same sentence with a reference to the Saltillo, Mexico, plant in which Chrysler plans to build the Phoenix V6 engine that had been promised to Kenosha in 2006, after the union agreed to streamline work rules.

"There is no better stimulus package than jobs, and we want them here," Kreuser said.

"I think we have no choice but to fight," said John Drew, former Local 72 president. Asked by a reporter how much leverage the state has, he said, "It's not how much leverage we have, it's how hard we fight."

"I believe we will prevail," said Barca, adding, "The Chrysler officials who made this decision are -- fortunately for us -- out the door. We will prevail."

Neither Bob Turner nor Cory Mason spoke at the rally, but afterwards both emphasized the impact the Kenosha plant has on Racine. "There are hundreds of Local 72 members in Racine," Turner said. Mason agreed, adding, "The idea of them keeping the Mexican plants open and closing American plants is an outrage. I'm here to support jobs, period. We can't ship jobs out of the country at taxpayer expense." Said Turner, "We'll probably be next."

Postscript: For those keeping track, neither former Vice President Al Gore nor 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan appeared at the half-hour rally, advance billing notwithstanding.