Behr employees face potential job loss

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Hundreds of Behr employees are faced with a difficult decision -- contribute more to their health coverage or risk losing their jobs.

Behr executives said the company can't afford to keep the Dayton climate control plant running unless workers make concessions they already rejected last month.

"The last piece of the puzzle to keep 900 workplaces here in Dayton is the agreement with union. Everything else has been done," said Heinz Otto, Behr America president and CEO. "We have attacked about 100 million of savings. This is the very last piece. If we can get to positive agreement we can keep 900 people employed here in Dayton."

This time, IUE- CWA president Jim Clark, is urging workers to reconsider.

"I think we did a poor job of communicating the last time the union tried and was probably disgruntled themselves," Clark said. "Hopefully now to roll out more information to them and the reason why some of the changes are needed."

Behr says it must have a contract with the union by Thanksgiving.. or the plant will be forced to close.