Trump Could Not Save GM Lordstown!

Black tape will soon cover this GM facility in Ohio. This was one of the largest facilities in North America. It's among four GM facilities in the United States and Canada going out.

Ohio is hit once again with bad news. Despite the bluster from Donald J. Trump, former governor John Kasich, current governor Mike DeWine, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and state lawmakers couldn't save GM's Lordstown facility.

Today marks the end of an era.

The largest GM plant in the United States closes. After it finished its final Chevy Cruze, the lights go out and 1,700 workers head to the unemployment line.

Over five decades of labor and manufacturing gone.

GM planned to idle the 6.2 million-square-foot plant on Friday, but the spokesperson said production was slightly ahead of schedule.

The automaker announced a major restructuring in November, including the closure of four US plants and another in Canada. It said it would cut 8,000 US salaried and contract jobs, representing a 15% reduction in its workforce.

The Lordstown plant is the first of the four US plants GM is closing. It had 1,435 hourly workers last year at the time of the plant closing announcement.

GM said that 417 of those workers have already accepted transfers to other plants, and another 80 have requested transfers and are waiting to see the jobs available to them. Workers who move will get up to $30,000 in transfer assistance from the company.

A plant in Baltimore is set to close next month. Another in Warren, Michigan, is due to shut in August. Those two transmission plants have about 500 employees between them, and 50 workers have accepted transfers. The Hamtramck plant, the last factory GM operates in Detroit, was originally due to close later this year but will now stay open until January 2020. It has 1,350 hourly workers, about 600 of whom have accepted transfers.

In total, more than 1,000 of the 3,300 US hourly workers whose plants are being closed have accepted transfers to other plants.

The jobs report comes out on the day of GM closing. Trump and Mary Barra of GM.

The decision to close the four US plants has led to blowback across the political spectrum. But General Motors says it's necessary so the company can invest more money in the cars of the future.

Last week, the United Auto Workers union sued General Motors over its plans to shutter three of the plants, including Lordstown. The union claims that the decision violates the union's labor contract.

It's asking the court to order GM to reverse the closures. It's also seeking damages for affected employees, including back wages and benefits.

GM said in a statement last week that the company has not violated the provisions of its labor contract with the union.

The metro Youngstown area includes Ohio communities of Warren, Niles, Austintown, Lordstown, Salem, Campbell, Boardman, Canfield and Columbiana. The area also include Pennsylvania communities like Sharon, New Castle and New Wilmington.

Youngstown's city population is 82,000 residents. The region has 2.4 million people. The area is within a drive to Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Pittsburgh.

The area is part of the Rust Belt. The region is depressed. Due to manufacturing loss, the regions suffered significant drops in population. The region is prone to crime, economic poverty and lack of resources for people.

It's call the "dead end of America."

The Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80) faces the Lordstown GM facility.

The main highways that cover Youngstown include The Ohio Turnpike which carries a majority of Interstate 80 (until Austintown) and some of Interstate 76 (towards the Ohio/Pennsylvania line). In edition, Interstate 680 which serves downtown Youngstown, Ohio State Route 11, Ohio State Route 62, U.S. Highway 422 and Interstate 376 (in Pennsylvania).

The Ohio Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike serves as a connector to a majority of communities.

The majority of Interstate 76, 80 and 90 are toll roads.

This impacts that region. That means those who live in Ohio and Pennsylvania will suffer cause of this plant closing.

Mary Barra and GM executives are taking home billions while the average worker for the automotive company takes the pinkslip.

Okay, 2020 is coming, Sherrod Brown is considering a run for president. Trump will make more appearances in Ohio during the start of the campaign season.

Remember these names when you're heading to the polls.