LANANE, RESKE AND AUSTIN SEEK ANSWERS ON GUIDE’S FUTURE IN ANDERSON

ANDERSON - Area lawmakers today asked the owners of Guide Corporation to tell the people of Anderson whether they intend to shut down the company’s local operations in the near future, a move that would put 1,500 people out of work.

Appearing at the annual Madison County Labor Day Picnic, State Reps. Terri Austin (D-Anderson) and Scott Reske (D-Pendleton) and State Sen. Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) said its time for a frank and honest discussion regarding the plans for this plant. Lanane said, “State and local leaders, Guide officials and General Motors management must do something to quiet the fears of the community in an area already reeling from job losses.”

"Workers at the Guide plant have contacted us because they are seeing many signs that the facility is about to shut down, but they are hearing nothing from management about what is happening,” Austin said. “Everything is speculation right now, and the company is very reluctant to settle anyone’s fears.”

Lanane added, “In spite of the ominous signs taking place, we are asking the Governor, the mayor, other elected officials, Guide Corporation management, UAW leadership and workers to join us in coming together to fashion solutions to save these jobs.” Reske said, “Union leaders at Guide have been called to national headquarters this week to meet with corporate leaders for unspecified reasons, and the company has started making moves that indicate it is about to break down the production equipment in anticipation of moving it off sight. These things don’t make anyone feel optimistic about what is going on out there.”

"Specifically, we are asking everyone to immediately sit down and open lines of communication so that we can together identify problems and fashion solutions that will allow this plant to continue operations,” said Lanane.

Guide’s Anderson operation, which produces signal and forward lights for automobiles, employs 1,200 hourly workers and 300 in management. The economic impact of the 1500 jobs in the area is well over $125,000,000 annually. “Give Guide a chance… we believe we have the talent in local management, our workers and the local UAW that, if given the freedom to fairly compete and operate without interference from outside forces, we could not only keep these jobs but make a successful transition into other industries and markets. Guide could easily become a leader in making plastic bottles used by the Nestle Corporation,” suggested Austin.

"That is what is so disturbing to us, and why we felt the need to say something now. Thousands of lives are at stake here, and we cannot get a straight answer from the people in charge of Guide about what they plan for the Anderson plant. We want to help, but it is frustrating to have to prepare for something, and we’re not sure what is going to happen. All we want are answers and for Guide and General Motors management to communicate with public officials in good faith, ” said Reske.