[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 115 (Monday, July 14, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6617-S6618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              DHL SELLOUT

  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, this summer is turning out to be one of 
great anxiety and uncertainty for literally thousands of families in 
southwest Ohio. At this moment, the economic future of more than 8,000 
people--8,000 workers and their families--in the Wilmington and 
surrounding communities hangs in the balance.
  DHL, the cargo carrier service, has threatened to shut down its 
Wilmington hub, a decision that, if successful, threatens both families 
and surrounding communities. In May, DHL's parent company, the German 
company Deutsche Post World Net, announced a proposed deal with UPS 
that would close the Ohio operation.
  In 2004, the State of Ohio and the city of Wilmington, a community of 
13,000 people, and surrounding counties--Highland County, Greene 
County, Clark County, and the area around it--proudly laid out the 
welcome mat for DHL, providing more than $400 million in incentives 
only 4 years ago. It was, we thought then, the beginning of a long 
friendship.
  The Wilmington Air Park is the largest employer in a six-county area 
of Ohio. Literally, in each of the six counties in the region, DHL is 
the single largest employer. Air Park employees were drawn from 45 
counties, more than half of Ohio's 88 counties.
  Tomorrow, Americans from across the country will gather around their 
television sets to enjoy baseball's All Star game in Yankee Stadium. 
The first pitch will be thrown by Cleveland's All Star pitcher Cliff 
Lee. During this midsummer classic, fans may notice emblazoned on the 
walls of Yankee Stadium and on game memorabilia the DHL logo, because 
DHL is the official carrier of major league baseball. More than 8,000 
Ohio workers and their families have helped make DHL a major league 
player in the North American express delivery business. Their families 
in the community have supported DHL, worked for DHL, helped build DHL, 
and State and local governments pitched in, as I said, with $400 
million to build this company and help it thrive in southwest Ohio.
  Thankfully, the agreement with UPS and the agreement to shut down is 
not yet final, and so we fight. This morning, earlier today, Mayor 
David Raizk, Clinton County Commissioner Randy Riley, and I joined 
hundreds of DHL, ABX, and Air Star workers to fight for these jobs and 
this community. Together, I delivered to DHL's headquarters in 
Wilmington--at their headquarters just outside Wilmington, on the 
outskirts of Wilmington--I delivered more than 9,000 signatures on 
petitions to DHL headquarters, petitions

[[Page S6618]]

that were denied by DHL management 2 weeks ago when employees and 
community members tried to deliver them.
  DHL needs to hear from these families and they need to understand 
that good corporate citizenship means more than baseball advertisements 
and company sponsorships. DHL workers and their families rightfully 
feel betrayed by the callous decision made by Deutsche Post.

  This kind of betrayal does not just eliminate jobs. The community 
loses revenue, public schools take a hit, the police force, fire 
department--all take major hits. It is estimated that 10 percent of the 
Wilmington City school budget is derived from DHL's operations in 
Wilmington. Hospitals suffer. Clinton Memorial Hospital is a not-for-
profit, and people connected with DHL account for a huge percent of 
their overall operations. They get $7 million in revenue just from DHL, 
ABX, and ASTAR, and their overall budget is $100 million. They don't 
know how they will be able to continue operations if DHL closes its 
operations in Wilmington.
  There are some 15,000 children of those DHL workers at the Wilmington 
airpark--DHL, ASTAR, and ABX--who will lose their jobs.
  Today I stood with the real All Stars, a couple of hundred workers 
and their families from southwest Ohio at DHL and at their union hall 
right across the street. In the last few months they have been sending 
me their stories. I would like to share some of them.
  Tara Pratz of Lebanon, a community a few miles from there in Warren 
County, told me she and her husband relocated to Ohio because they 
trusted DHL and the promises made to her and workers like her. Reading 
from her note, she said:

       Deustch-Post is nothing more than a corporate terrorist 
     destroying the very lives that built the company.

  Kelly Morse of Blanchester also wrote me about moving to Ohio because 
of the loyalty she felt for DHL. She wrote:

       At first we did not want to move, but as a loyal employee I 
     wanted to live close to my employer. DHL needs to be held 
     accountable for the commitments they made to the people, 
     workers, and community of southwest Ohio.

  New Vienna resident Beth Carpenter wrote:

       My husband is one of the many employees being laid off . . 
     . with the economy the way it is, it is hard enough trying to 
     keep food on the table, let alone to try to do it without a 
     job.

  Sherry Barrett, also of New Vienna, wrote, simply:

       We are all extremely terrified of what our future holds. . 
     . .We need all of you in our government to fight hard for us 
     and Ohio.

  Again, it doesn't need to be this way. DHL has been a good corporate 
citizen. It can remain a good friend to the people of Ohio. Workers and 
family members and the community are ready to do whatever it takes--
whatever it takes. This morning in Wilmington it was clear that this 
community sticks together when times are tough.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. (Mr. Cardin). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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