Teamsters Commend White House Efforts to Reopen Delaware GM Plant

Hoffa Urges Focus on Ensuring Decision Results in Good Jobs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2009; International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today commended the Obama administration for its efforts to reopen the GM plant in Wilmington, Del. Hoffa also urged the White House and Fisker Automotive to ensure that these are good jobs, with the wages, benefits and retirement security the workers deserve.

"Thousands of workers and their families were devastated when GM closed this facility in August," Hoffa said. "The decision by Fisker Automotive to retool the plant and build electric vehicles is an important step in rebuilding our economy. By rehiring laid-off workers, the White House and the company are showing a commitment to reinvesting in our national infrastructure. It is important that they do so in a way that is good for workers and good for the community."

In addition to workers who build the cars, thousands of hardworking men and women who are indirectly involved with production of the plant also lost their jobs, including more than 20 Teamster carhaulers.

"Starting production at this plant is important to every one of us who was affected by the GM closing," said Stuart Small, a 37-year member of Teamsters Local Union 326 who worked as a carhauler out of the Wilmington plant. "It is difficult to find comparable work in this economy. These are jobs that you can raise a family on and retire. It is important to all of us and to the community that we get back to work and that we are treated fairly."

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.