State seeks funds for displaced workers
MADISON — State labor officials are seeking nearly $4 million in federal grants for workers in Janesville.
Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman said the money would help workers affected by General Motor’s decision to eliminate the second shift at its Janesville plant.
Some also would help workers at GM suppliers Lear Corp., United Industries and Logistics Services who were laid off as a result of GM’s move.
Gassman said the money would help 785 people over the next two years with assessment, counseling and job training and placement services. She said the state has never been turned down for such emergency grants.
“As soon as we learned of GM’s decision, we worked with our local partners to determine the number of workers affected, not just at GM, but at suppliers,” Gassman said. “We have met with the workers, identified those who want services, and we have assessed their needs and the funding necessary to assist them.”
The Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board and Rock County Job Center would operate the project locally.
GM’s decision to cut second shift production at its Janesville plant resulted in 852 hourly GM workers being laid off. It also triggered the lay-off of 336 at Lear, 132 at LSI and 109 at United Industries, which is a Beloit-based supplier to the GM plant in Janesville.
That’s a total of 1,429 workers laid off as a result of GM’s decision, but only 785 requested the training services, the DWD said.
If the U.S. Department of Labor awards the full grant, which it could do in 30 to 60 days, about $5,000 on average would be available to each worker for training and placement services. The average training cost in similar projects ranges from $3,000 to $5,000.
The Janesville GM plant is scheduled to close by 2010 as high fuel prices reduce demand for the full-size sport utility vehicles made there.
Aug 7, 2008 at 1:49 a.m.
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Dawg...the government does not create jobs with your taxes.
Aug 3, 2008 at 9:28 p.m.
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Didn't say anything about being owed to them, just that they pay taxes too. I agree that Doyle buys his votes.
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I assume that everyones taxes go into the same pool. After all are not the same taxes used to "create" jobs?
Aug 1, 2008 at 2:08 a.m.
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We didn't complain about their wages, just Doyle's actions.
To say because they paid high wages/taxes this is owed to them is a bit conceeded.
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:08 a.m.
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Unidentified---Well said. At $25/hr and 30% tax rate that comes to over $15,000 taxes each per worker. So for 2000 workers that comes to $3,000,000 that the government got for a year.
- How much money was donated by GM people for United Way, other programs and charities? I'll bet a lot, and without making a big deal of it.
-Many of you ridicule these people, but given the opportunity you'd be taking those same wages and benefits. But you didn't get the chance or in some cases couldn't do the job.
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:52 a.m.
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This is a Federal Funded Program.The employer has to contact the state first on behalf of the workers.The state applies for these grants...The state recieved $11,934,438.last year in grants for displaced workers.By the way opinionforfree that was last year that had nothing to do with GM.Will you come out of this ok with your rentals? There are more job lost to come so when someone can't pay their rent will that be the GM workers fault always ?? Just like your opinion for free no one would pay you for them how will your renters pay with no jobs.?
Jul 31, 2008 at 9:06 a.m.
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I think considering that GM, Lear, and LSI workers have paid their share of taxes over the course of their employment, that they should be able to qualify for state funded programs. To imply that they are a burden to tax payers is nonsense considering many of these people have paid taxes in the highest brackets for decades. I’m sure GM and Lear workers weren’t complaining about all the people in Wisconsin who piggy backed off the taxes they were paying while they were working. Then again, I guess Badger care funds itself.
Jul 31, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.
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Heres a link for all you that say this is just for union/Gm workers.www.doleta.gov This is the U.S Department of Labor web site that HELPS ALL displaced workers in the state.Doyle has to apply for the funds for ALL grants.The workers are not getting SPECIAL help from the state or anyone eles.Read this again and you will see this is for Lear/LSI and United Industries. No one from the union/GM has applied for the displaced workers from GM.
Jul 31, 2008 at 8:03 a.m.
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Well GM workers are better than everyone else. They are a special breed of worker that needs the best type of compensation.
Jul 31, 2008 at 7:47 a.m.
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"If the U.S. Department of Labor awards the full grant, which it could do in 30 to 60 days, about $5,000 on average would be available to each worker for training and placement services. The average training cost in similar projects ranges from $3,000 to $5,000."
Why are these workers at the highest end of the scale?
Isn't anyone else sick of taxpayers having to bail out everything and everybody?
Good editorial in yesterday's Beloit paper, whom ever you support for president. This spending needs to stop.
http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/...
Jul 31, 2008 at 7:20 a.m.
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This is Doyle's payback for union support. When did he ask for federal money to support non-union people who lost thier jobs?
Jul 30, 2008 at 8:27 p.m.
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Displaced or dislocated, these GM employees with all the pay and benefits should be taken into consideration by workforce development as to how much they spend of other taxpayers money. They have plenty of time/notice that the end is in sight. Let them send themselves to school not let them wait until the day the door is locked behind them and then take everyone else's money to retrain them. I and all others don't owe it to them.
Jul 30, 2008 at 5:16 p.m.
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Its a liitle late for that now i work in another town cause of this.
Jul 30, 2008 at 12:39 p.m.
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Most definitely, "displaced" is better than "dislocated."
We've changed the headline.
Thanks.
Scott Angus
Editor
Jul 30, 2008 at 12:27 p.m.
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I may be wrong, but it sounds odd, shouldn't it be displaced, not dislocated?
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