Garrison seeks intervention of Taft, Manchin in Ormet stalemate

For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005

CONTACT: Danielle Nelson (614) 644-8728 or John Kohlstrand (614) 466-9036

Garrison seeks intervention of Taft, Manchin in Ormet stalemate

State Representative Jennifer Garrison has asked Ohio Governor Bob Taft and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III to intervene in the tragic situation at Ormet Corporation in Monroe County where 600 jobs have already been lost and another 900 jobs remain at risk.

In a letter to Governor Taft, Garrison asked him to contact Mike Williams at Ormet, an aluminum manufacturer, and Denny Longwell of the United Steelworkers of America and ask both sides to return to the bargaining table.

More than 1,300 members of United Steelworkers locals 5724 and 5760 have been on strike for more than a year at Ormet’s operations in Monroe County. Earlier this month, Ormet announced that it would close some operations and eliminate 600 jobs. (Other operations continue through the use of nonunion workers).

In her letter to Taft, Garrison also asked for help in getting Ormet the affordable electricity it needs to thrive in Monroe County. Ormet officials have told the Ohio Public Utilities Commission that high energy costs are a threat to its operations in Monroe County.

Garrison wrote a similar letter to Governor Manchin. West Virginia is home to a sizable number of the workers at Ormet’s facilities in Hannibal, which is located near the Ohio River.

“It’s time for action,” Representative Garrison, D-Marietta, said today. “Families throughout the region have come to depend on Ormet for good-paying jobs. This region’s economy will be hurt if we allow these jobs to disappear.”

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