Thousands of letters delivered to GM to highlight community impact of job cuts

DETROIT – Retired General Motors Co. employees delivered letters from United Auto Workers members and others directly to GM officials, urging the company to reconsider the layoffs.

The letters come from current employees, community leaders and other people concerned about the plant closures and layoffs.

"I believe GM knows at some point that it has to stop ruining communities and people's lives," retired GM worker Clarice Squillace said.

The letters were put into boxes and wrapped in festive paper. They reveal the disappointment and anger that some feel toward GM.

"It sends a deeper message about how serious we are about keeping those plants open," Squillace said.

"It seems like GM is greedy," retired GM worker Henry Bolder said. "They have forgotten that working people kept them afloat when we had this problem before."

GM officials said the plant closures and layoffs will save the company $6 billion by the end of 2020. More than 14,000 workers will lose their jobs.

"My heart goes out to them. We've been through this before -- people being displaced, shipped off to different cities. It's devastating," Bolder said.


About the Authors

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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