In Lima, Ohio Workers, UAW Members Slam Bernie Moreno’s Anti-Worker Record Of Selling Chinese-Made Cars And Killing Jobs

Story submitted

(4-25-24) In Lima, Ohio Workers, UAW Members Slam Bernie Moreno’s Anti-Worker Record Of Selling Chinese-Made Cars And Killing Jobs

Spectrum News: Moreno sold SUVs made in China for years, but tells Ohio voters he refused to do so

Lima, OH – Following reporting that revealed Ohio Senate candidate and car salesman Bernie Moreno sold Chinese-made Buick Envisions and lied about it, UAW, and AFL-CIO members slammed Moreno for lying and putting himself before Ohio workers at UAW Local 1219 in Lima, Ohio. Workers called out Moreno for his choice to sell the Chinese-made Buick Envision, which contributed to good jobs in Ohio being shipped overseas. 

Jeff Adams, President of UAW Local 1219 and Vice President of the Lima Troy Area CAP Council

“I’ve been a UAW member for decades, and serving as the president of Local 1219, I have learned what makes someone the right person to join represent workers and the wrong person to represent workers – that’s how I know Bernie Moreno is the wrong person. Moreno sold the Chinese-made Buick Envision and lied about it, and he contributed to good auto industry jobs going overseas. We cannot trust Moreno to stand up for Ohio autoworkers, because he is clearly just looking out for his own interests.” 

George Jeffries, President of the Lima Troy Area CAP Council

“Workers in Lima can’t trust Bernie Moreno to tell us the truth, much less put us first . Bernie Moreno lied about refusing to sell the Buick Envision, a car made in China, and we can’t trust him to tell the truth. Moreno is wrong for Ohio workers because he is just looking out for himself. ”

Cherie Lyn, member of UFCW Local 75

“Bernie Moreno has proved to Ohioans that he is looking out for his own interests, not workers’ interests. Moreno lied about selling cars made in China that hurt Ohio workers and he destroyed evidence to try to get out of paying his employees overtime – he doesn’t respect working people and won’t fight for us.” 

The Buick Envision was the first Chinese-made vehicle to be imported by a major U.S. automaker and “has always been made in China.” When GM announced it would be importing the Envision from China, UAW leadership called the decision a “slap in the face” to American workers. Bernie Moreno repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail that he didn’t sell the Chinese-made Envision, but hesold the cars for years, even though it hurt Ohio workers. Separate reports also found that Moreno refused to pay his employees the overtime they’d earned and destroyed evidence to get out of paying them. Moreno was found liable by a jury and forced to pay over $400,000.

Today’s press conference comes after workers in the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown have criticized Moreno for “sell[ing] Envisions for years despite knowing where they were made” that contributed to “Ohio jobs being shipped overseas.”