Senator Sherrod Brown

WILMINGTON, OH – On Monday, United States Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) hand-delivered petitions signed by more than 9,000 members of the community to Mike Schmitt, DHL Director of Hub Operations in Wilmington.

“Today, the voices of over 9,600 Southwest Ohioans will be heard,” said Senator Brown. “I’m honored to deliver these petitions from DHL workers and other members of the Wilmington community. We share a commitment to maintaining a strong community with good-paying jobs.”

On Monday June 30, members of the “Save Our Jobs” coalition attempted to deliver the petitions to the Wilmington facility. According to area workers and community leaders, the petitions were refused and were eventually left with a security guard. In response to DHL’s refusal to accept petitions from area families, Brown sent a letter to Schmitt on July 3.

“Regardless of whether the dismissive treatment to which these individuals were subjected stemmed from a misunderstanding or was intentional, it must be rectified immediately,” Brown wrote. “I would like to personally deliver the petitions to you and discuss your company’s future role in Wilmington.”
Brown, along with federal, state, and local officials, is working to save more than 8,000 area jobs that would be lost if DHL-parent company Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN) finalizes a deal with UPS. German-based DPWN announced a tentative agreement on May 28 to transfer operations from Wilmington to a UPS facility in Kentucky.

Last month, Brown unveiled a new page on his Senate Web site that will serve as a news and information source for families affected by the possible DHL deal. The Web page, on Brown’s Senate Web site www.brown.senate.gov, will allow visitors to read stories and news about the issue and to submit their own stories. Brown will use the stories to educate his colleagues and continue to raise awareness.

Brown has also raised the DHL proposal with White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten. Brown asked the White House to appoint a senior administration official to marshal assistance on the issue. He also asked for the White House to help expedite a bipartisan, bicameral request for a Department of Justice anti-trust review. In addition, Brown discussed possible federal uses of the Wilmington facility in the event that the DHL-UPS deal goes through.

Brown was joined today by Wilmington Mayor David Raizk, Clinton County Commissioner Randy Riley, and employees of DHL, ABX, and ASTAR Air Cargo.

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