Kruzan: GE Employees, Community Will Persevere and Prevail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2008

For more information:
Maria K. Heslin, Deputy Mayor, City of Bloomington, 349.3569

Bloomington, IN - Mayor Mark Kruzan said, after meeting with community leaders, that he is confident that GE employees and the larger community will weather the storm of the GE plant-closing announcement.

"The gathering of a wide array of community leaders within 24 hours of the announced shutdown gives me great hope that GE employees and the community as a whole will persevere and prevail," Kruzan said.

Nearly 30 people gathered at City Hall, today, to discuss the plant closing. In attendance were:

Lisa Abbott, City of Bloomington Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development

Danise Alano, City of Bloomington Economic Development Director

Beverly Calender-Anderson, City of Bloomington Safe & Civil City Director

Trent Deckard, Field Representative for United States Congressman Baron Hill

Wade Ellis, Human Resources Manager, GE

Christy Gillenwater, CEO, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce

Daniel Grundmann, City of Bloomington Director of Employee Services

Maria Heslin, Deputy Mayor

Ron Johnson, IBEW 2249

Vic Kelson, President, Monroe County Council

Mayor Mark Kruzan

Barry Lessow, Executive Director, United Way

Tim Mayer, City of Bloomington Common Council

Brenda McLane, Executive Director of Workforce & Economic Development, Ivy Tech

Bill Mitchell, President, IBEW 2249

Bryan Newton, Ivy Tech, Dean for Enrollment Services and Student Devleopment

Matt Pierce, Indiana State Representative

Kevin Robling, City of Bloomington Corporation Counsel and Chief of Staff

Richard Rampley, Program Director, WorkOne

Susan Sandberg, President, City of Bloomington Common Council

Dr. James O. Smith, Dean of Academic Affairs, Ivy Tech

Patrick Stoffers, President, Monroe County Commissioners

Kent Suiters, Plant Manager, GE

Ron Walker, President, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation

Adam Wason, City of Bloomington Assistant Economic Development Director

John Whikehart, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College

Kirk White, Director of Community Relations, Indiana University

Jackie Yenna, President, White River Central Labor Council

"Our meeting centered on short-term responses and long-term plans," Kruzan said. "More than anything, I was struck by a sense of optimism already beginning to transcend a sense of sadness."

Kruzan said it was apparent that the labor-management relationship at GE is strong and healthy. "Labor and management representatives are of one mind that the company and employees have the shared goal of easing the transition and are starting to do so, immediately. Every community leader in the room was heartened by that spirit of cooperation and expressed commitment to do anything we can to help the GE family face this challenge.

"Our mission is to reduce as much uncertainty as we can for GE staff and the impacted community," Kruzan said.

Kruzan told those in attendance that he will be convening a coordinating team to address needs and solutions associated with the plant closing. "We're going to mobilize community resources and move forward," he said.

Kruzan specifically called for three areas of concern to be studied:

• Employee assistance
• Community financial impact
• Site reutilization

Kruzan noted that GE's nearly two-year notice serves all involved well. "Union president Bill Mitchell set the tone for the meeting and summed things up by saying, 'We've been given the gift of time.' He's absolutely right, and we're going to make the most of the opportunity."

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