By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – The Mitsubishi Motors plant in Normal will close at the end of the month and the community is showing its support for the workers who will be out of a job.
About 150 people showed up at the end of the worker’s shifts Tuesday afternoon to express their appreciation for the work they’ve done. Gary Fern worked at the plant from 1988 until he retired early in 2014.
“After spending so much time at Mitsubishi and enjoying quite a bit of it, and having so many good friends here, we just felt that it would be worth our while to come out and support them,” said Fern. “I’ve been very surprised at home choked up I get thinking that these people, many of them not really close to retirement age, have to try and find a new life right now.”
President of United Steel Workers Local 787 Mike Tucker said it’s “depressing” to know the plant is closing.
“We need more manufacturing. We need to be building something,” said Tucker. “This has been a great company. The employees have been fantastic. They’ve been so generous with all the different organizations around here.”
State Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) offered his support as well.
“It’s a very difficult day to say the least. It’s a day that many of us have been working very hard to try and avoid,” Brady said.
Brady said there has been interest by companies looking to buy the plant, but nothing has fully developed yet.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
