WEST CHESTER TWP., Ohio - — WEST CHESTER TWP., Ohio — General Motors has confirmed plans to close its Meridian Way processing center on May 31 and lay off 101 employees.
In a notice filed with the state of Ohio on Monday, GM said approximately 94 hourly employees represented by unions are eligible to go to other plants. Salaried employees will not be retained.
Last November, U.A.W. Local 696 President Brian Martin told WCPO that GM was shutting down the West Chester plant by September and moving workers to Burton, Michigan – four hours away.
At the time, Martin said moving to Michigan would be a tough decision for workers - especially if their spouses have good jobs here. West Chester officials said they would be disappointed to see GM leave, but the township didn’t expect the move to have a big impact on the local economy.
For one thing, West Chester doesn’t collect earnings tax. For another, the GM building shouldn’t be empty for long, spokesperson Barbara Wilson said.
“We have a 96% occupancy rate of this type of space in the township, so we’re optimistic that it will be filled by another great company,” Wilson said.
