By Mike Matejka
Although next week’s Thanksgiving holiday is a time for appreciating our lives, it may be a challenging one for our neighbors working at Mitsubishi. The final day for their job is drawing near.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we do need to say thank you to these hard workers –both management professionals and the United Auto Workers 2488 production line workers. Through their union, the plant workers have earned decent pay and benefits. Both labor, management and professional staff at Mitsubishi and the UAW have been very generous to McLean County.
Toys for Tots will need support this Christmas season, as UAW 2488 has been their lead donor for years. The Red Cross always could count on ready volunteers when they held an in-plant blood drive. United Way donations were shared from many paychecks.
The UAW local initiated one of the first blood marrow donor registration drives in the county, paying from their own treasury and donations the $45 then required for testing each registrant. The UAW Veterans’ Committee annually held a Super Bowl Party – the proceeds were used to purchase toiletries and other items, which the committee took to Manteno Veterans’ Home, spending a day with the Veterans and showing their support.
I asked the UAW to compile a list of charities to which they had donated either time or money. It was a long one, with over 42 entries, too many to mention here. Plus Mitsubishi has also supported local organizations, including a scholarship announcement this past week from Mitsubishi USA and O’Brien Mitsubishi, to assist Heartland Community College students. And this does not even mention all the associates who individually volunteered as scout leaders, coaches and in area schools.
The jobs lost are not good for our economy or the impacted workforce. We do need to honor this group for their hard work and local contributions.
That’s why I’m asking you to come out to the plant next Tuesday, November 24. Please enter via either of the two stoplights off US 150 at 2:30 p.m. Bring a sign, wishing the workforce well, and line up on the grass by the exit areas. At 3 p.m. when the shift ends, hopefully people will see a long line of their McLean County neighbors, wishing them well and saying thank you. I know it will bring tears and lift some hearts. See you there.
