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"The news that Mitsubishi Motors will
be laying off 1,200 employees is very tough to swallow. The decision
to scale back operations certainly doesn't reflect on the caliber of
performance or the work ethic of the autoworkers at the Normal
plant. But now is the time to help the workers and their families
move forward," Gov. Blagojevich said.
"From this point on, our financial and
human resources will be dedicated entirely to helping these workers
get back on their feet and back into quality jobs. The North Central
region [in the Opportunity Returns program] has a diversified and
vibrant economy ripe with many new opportunities. It is our mission
to work closely with the local stakeholders and Mitsubishi to
provide a set of comprehensive services that will help these workers
seize those opportunities. We won't rest until we accomplish that,"
he said.
The governor is directing the Illinois
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to allocate up to
$1.5 million in funds to assist the employees and their families
affected by the announcement of the mass layoff by Mitsubishi
Motors. Union officials, Mitsubishi Motors, the local work force
investment board, economic development and business leaders,
educational institutions, and local elected officials will begin an
almost immediate dialogue with state officials to ensure that the
programs and services delivered are highly specialized and entirely
need-based.
The United Workforce Development Board,
the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and
the Illinois Department of Employment Security will partner together
in providing a comprehensive suite of services. Those services can
include comprehensive assessment, counseling, employment and job
search assistance, as well as customized education and training
programs for laid-off workers and their spouses. Assistance through
community-based organizations can also provide work support
services, individual and family counseling, and social services.
"We are incredibly appreciative of the
innovative support Governor Blagojevich is providing our community
through Opportunity Returns. I know that, working together, we can
turn obstacles into opportunities for these workers and their
families," said Marty Vanags, executive director of the Economic
Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area.
"This shows Governor Blagojevich does
care about our members and their families. His immediate response is
a crucial step in helping create more good jobs for
Bloomington-Normal and the entire region," said Ralph Timan, United
Auto Workers Local 2488 president.
A wide variety of other local
stakeholders will be participating in this process, including the
town of Normal, the city of Bloomington, Economic Development
Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area, McLean County Chamber of
Commerce, United Auto Workers Local 2488, McLean County AFL-CIO,
Illinois State University and Heartland Community College.
"Governor Blagojevich understands that
a more comprehensive response is vital in helping us rebound from
this very unfortunate situation. He also understands that our region
needs to come together and decide how to best move forward. We will
get to work immediately on devising the best options for the workers
and their families during this difficult time," said Gary Cicciu,
the career link vice president for the United Workforce Development
Board.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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The re-employment initiative in Normal
could potentially be modeled after the Galesburg Transition Training
Center, a family-focused approach that Gov. Blagojevich announced in
January, after the Maytag Corporation decided it was closing its
Galesburg facility. Additional unique services that the Galesburg
center is designed to deliver include family transition assessment
and planning, tutoring for adults and youth, spousal training,
referral services, health and medical services, transportation
services, center website, outreach services, elder services, and
family and youth activities. While the Galesburg center has provided
a successful blueprint for helping workers find new jobs, the choice
of whether or not to follow this design lies with the community of
Normal.
The re-employment initiative will also
complement the governor's Critical Skills Shortage Initiative, a
program designed to arm workers with new skills and prepare them to
fill jobs in industries facing critical shortages in skilled labor.
A group of local stakeholders is already using an earlier $150,000
Opportunity Returns planning grant to identify industry sectors, and
specific occupations within those sectors, where there are current
or projected shortages of skilled workers. Once these industries and
occupations have been selected, the group will work to determine the
root causes of these skill shortages and then develop regional
solutions to address them. The planning group includes the local
work force investment boards led by the private sector, as well as
area employers, economic development professionals, educators and
service providers. The Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity is administering the Critical Skills Shortage Initiative
and will competitively award additional funds to help bridge the gap
in training services available to fill these occupations.
"The critical partnerships Governor
Blagojevich has forged ensure that a highly specialized collection
of resources will continually be at work for the Mitsubishi workers
and their families, but how those resources will be shaped and
delivered is a decision that should be made by the community. This
regional economy and its work force hold a great many strengths. Our
steadfast goal is to parlay those strengths into new jobs for
individuals and renewed vitality for the community of Normal and the
entire North Central region," said Jack Lavin, director of the
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
The
governor's Opportunity Returns regional economic development
plan is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to
creating jobs in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all
approach to economic development just doesn't work, the governor has
divided the state into 10 regions, finding areas with common
economic strengths and needs, and developing a plan with specific
actions for each region.
[News release from the
governor's office]
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