June 11, 2009

Delaware Makes Case for Federal Aid for Laid-Off Auto Worker

Obama Administration team hears Markell Administration and federal delegation's request for help getting laid-off workers back into workforce

WILMINGTON – Members of President Obama’s Administration heard first-hand Thursday from Delaware’s Governor, Lt. Governor, representatives of the State’s Congressional Delegation and laid-off autoworkers about the critical need for federal action and assistance for the workers and communities affected by the plant closings.

Delaware’s sole Chrysler manufacturing plant closed in December. Just prior to its entering bankruptcy, General Motors announced this month that it will be closing its Boxwood Road factory in July. The Boxwood plant was the last remaining automobile manufacturing facility in the northeast.

“The plant closings are a tremendous blow but Delaware knows how to bounce back and we will,” Governor Jack Markell said.  “We have worked and will work incredibly hard as a team to turn this situation into an opportunity to get Delaware’s economy moving in the right direction. We made our case to the Obama Administration today. They listened, learned and responded and pledged to be our partners in this effort.”

Dr. Edward Montgomery, President Obama’s Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, along with a team representing several federal agencies agreed that Delaware has been significantly affected by the challenges in the national auto industry and pledged the administration's cooperation. The meeting lasted over two and a half hours.

“It is clear from today’s meeting that all parties involved – labor representatives, the Governor, our delegation, and the federal agencies – are committed to moving forward together to get assistance for the affected families as quickly as possible. In the short term, we look forward to Chrysler and GM workers applying for federal worker assistance programs. As we told Dr. Montgomery, we stand ready to help make this process as expeditious as possible,” said Senator Tom Carper, Senator Ted Kaufman and Congressman Mike Castle in a joint statement.

Dr. Montgomery pledged that the Obama administration will work with the state in several ways. He:

• Pledged to re-examine Chrysler workers previously rejected application for Trade Adjustment Assistance status and encouraged General Motors workers to apply as well.

• Will work with the state on its application for a Workforce Investment Act National Emergency Grant.

• Offered the assistance of federal agencies to come to the factory and join the rapid response teams from the state's department of Labor and Department of Health and Social Services that have been on-site to identify available resources for workers and enroll them in programs such job training when eligible.

• Encouraged the state to apply for a Green Jobs grant to help Delaware in its mission to become a center of environmentally sustainable innovation and jobs. He brought a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency who said they would work with the state on applications to assess environmental impact and clean-up costs at the plants.

• Offered his team’s assistance for Delaware’s application for an Economic Development Grant.

“We will continue to look for every opportunity within the federal stimulus plan and across federal agencies to find ways to help our workers and our economy,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn, who also serves as the state’s Stimulus Czar.