WARREN, Ohio – Local businesses teamed up to help workers laid off from Ultium Cells find the resources they need.

Dimitri Liogas, a global career development facilitator and administrator for the Workforce Development Board of Trumbull County, said 1,350 laid-off employees have access to more resources due to the generosity of local business leaders.

By combining efforts, a transition center has been set up at UAW Local 1112’s union hall to help laid-off employees navigate the months ahead.

According to Liogas, when a WARN notice was issued in November, signaling that a large number of employees from Ultium Cells would be losing their jobs in January – some temporarily and others permanently – the local rapid response team began looking for ways to help.

Liogas said the rapid response team brings together entities that can help affected employees understand what will happen before and during layoffs. The rapid response program is administered through the state, but services are delivered locally. 

Liogas said when there is a large layoff, it can be helpful to create a transition center, a designated place where employees can go to receive individualized services. It can help employees be immediately ready once the layoff takes effect.

Although many of the laid-off Ultium employees worked their last day before Christmas, the layoff didn’t take effect until Jan. 5.

George Goranitis, president of UAW Local 1112, said through the years, getting laid off – sometimes multiple times per year – became part of working at an automotive plant. He knew what to expect.

“This membership here, they’re all young or newer,” Goranitis said. “Maybe this is their first time having a job or just a first time experiencing a layoff. So I knew this was going to be critical to have [the transition center] set up. I’m just so grateful to Dimitri and the local business leaders that came together. I’m just so grateful for them.”

While the workers can use OhioMeansJobs centers, when there is a large layoff, there may not be enough staffing and other resources available. Liogas said the local OhioMeansJobs centers didn’t have enough people to staff an additional transition center, a requirement of the state grant money the rapid response team wanted to use.  

Goranitis and Liogas both said they were disappointed, but it led to Liogas thinking outside the box.

“I’ve got a lot of great relationships in this area. Let me reach out to some of my colleagues that we deal with. … So I reached out to three individuals,” Liogas said.

No one turned him down, either providing him with equipment or referrals that led to someone else helping. In the end, Liogas said they were able to fill a room at the union hall with 12 computers, internet access, a printer and paper for the laid-off workers to use.

While the Workforce Development team has been working with the employees since the layoffs were announced to get them prepared to register for services, the transition center has been open since Jan. 5, when the layoffs became official. That room has been full throughout the day, while the OhioMeansJobs center in Trumbull County is averaging 165 Ultium employees a day and Mahoning County’s facility sees 100 Ultium employees a day.

“So between the three entities, we’re able to provide as much service as possible to those individuals affected,” Liogas said.

Goranitis said in addition to equipment, the transition center has pamphlets about services the laid-off employees need for themselves and their families. He said between 85 and 100 workers used the center in the first week.

Although he expressed disappointment that the state resources were not available, Goranitis said it demonstrates the way the local communities come together to support each other during difficult times.

The transition center will remain open at least until the projected callback of 850 of the Ultium workers, expected in June, or until the volume of people requiring its services drops dramatically.

In a statement, Liogas thanked those who helped make the transition center happen.

“The Workforce Development Board of Trumbull County and OhioMeansJobs center would like to extend our appreciation to this group of local business leaders for stepping up to assist the affected employees from Ultium Cells with providing computer equipment to the UAW #1112 Union Hall to provide an additional location for union members to visit to conduct job searching and manage their unemployment claims,” Liogas said.

He specifically mentioned Wiley Runnestrand of Greenboard IT, Tom Reeveley and Bryan Higgins of Team Office Tech, Chris Canova and Mike McKinney of Jobs for Ohio Grads and Jeff Magada of Flying High Inc. for their help.

“Greenboard IT sanitized and removed all data and refurbished these machines so they can keep being useful,” Runnestrand said. “We are thrilled to partner with the Workforce Board and the local UAW #1112. Using recycled equipment to help our community and local union members is what we are here for.”

For those looking for employment, Liogas said the annual Trumbull County Job Fair will be held April 23 at Eastwood Mall.

Pictured at top: UAW Local 1112’s union hall in Warren.