MERRILLVILLE | Union supporters rallied Monday afternoon in Merrillville to generate support from the public and government for American manufacturing and keeping jobs in the United States.

The "Keep It Made In America" bus tour brought about 200 people outside the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza to hear comments from speakers about the importance of having a domestic manufacturing base. Before union officials departed on a bus scheduled to visit eight cities in three days, the crowd was led in chants of "Buy it here, build it here" and "Buy it here, sell it here."

Four buses will travel to a total of 11 states in the effort. Bus Three, which began in Merrillville, by Wednesday will have visited South Bend, Logansport, Kokomo, Fort Wayne, and Bowling Green, Van Wert and Dayton, all in Ohio. On May 19, participants are expected to meet in Washington to talk about the impact of the automotive supply chain in communities.

United Steelworkers International Vice President Tom Conway, who spoke at the event, said many people who aren't in unions depend on the jobs the automotive industry provides and supports directly and indirectly.

"People need to realize the auto industry's problems don't just lie in Detroit; 7.2 million jobs are in the auto industry and not all of them are working on cars," Conway said.

Conway railed against a General Motors Corp. plan to close more plants in the United States and place its nameplate on cars not produced in America. He said these plans are against domestic economic growth.

"If you want to sell a car in America, you should build it here," Conway said echoing a popular sentiment among many labor union and American manufacturing supporters.

He also said manufacturing interests haven't been treated fairly in Washington, compared to bankers and other companies in the financial sector when it comes to getting government aid. He said an economy is based on people who mill, mine, make things and take them to market, not on paper transactions.

Ken Coleman, a forklift driver at Allied Tube and Conduit in Harvey, said more products should be made in America, because the content of the items can be supervised better and the incidence of contaminated products can be reduced. He was pleased public officials attended the conference, because they are the ones who can influence legislation to support manufacturing.

Also attending the event were state Rep. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago; Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez and U.S. Steel Manager of Government Affairs Jill Ritchie.

Jeff Seidler, who works at a Graphic Packaging Holding Co. plant in Morris, Ill., about 25 miles west of Joliet, was at the hotel for a United Steelworkers safety conference but said he was encouraged by the message of keeping manufacturing jobs in America. While attendees carried signs "Keep It Made In America," he and USW Local No. 626 President Brian Clubb both said their employment future is in limbo.

Clubb said the company announced it was closing his plant by June 30 and laying off the 170 employees in addition to the 42 already not working. Both said all they can do is try to make the best out of a bad situation, even though they said the plant was profitable.

"It was a total shock," Seidler said. "We tried to have local and state government (officials) try to talk to the powers that be and they (the company) weren't interested."

Representing the Women of Steel, which is a part of the USW, Blanca Morales said she challenges more women to buy American-made goods because "every little bit helps" when it comes to supporting industry.

The Alliance for American Manufacturing, the Mayors and Municipalities Automotive Coalition and the USW sponsored the effort and the bus tours.