FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — After an announcement that Dana would temporarily lay off 240 of its employees Monday, the United Steelworkers Local-903 president told WANE 15 that the layoffs will be just a “little blip.” Dana provides parts to the big three automakers. Naturally, the UAW strikes, now expanded, have impacted Dana’s business.

Gregory Martin the USW Local-903 president, said there’s a balancing act because they’re concerned for the employees who were laid off, but they are also pro-union and support the UAW.

“We support them and the struggles they’re going through, they’ve been through, as far as getting the employees paid the proper salaries. We’re all for it. I know it’s something that we have to deal with being a supplier for them, but it’s just a part of what we do,” Martin said.

Martin said the USW workers are a family and the Local-903 is a strong family. They’re going to do all they can to help the workers who were laid off.

Unite Way of Allen County’s Director of Labor and Community Services, Mike Bynum, was at the Local-903 office Tuesday helping prepare packets that better help people who have been laid off survive financially.

Bynum is a Dana retiree.

 “I’ve been laid off before, so I know what the experience is that other people are facing when it comes to not being able to plan for either week-to-week or month-to-month on what your expenses are going to be or how you’re going to cover those expenses,” Bynum explained.

According to Martin, the employees who were laid off can apply for unemployment. The layoffs are meant to be temporary and would end as soon as the UAW strikes conclude.

He said they’ve been working steadily and haven’t had layoffs since 2008. Even when GM workers went on strike in 2019, the more than 700 Dana employees were able to avoid layoffs as there wasn’t too big of a dip in sales.