Who could forget Trump sauntering into the Carrier Corporation shortly after the election to announce he’d negotiated to save thousands of jobs at the Indiana plant? Despite his proclamations and Indiana’s tax giveaway to the air conditioner manufacturer, Carrier announced another brutal round of job eliminations:
Indiana heating and cooling company Carrier is eliminating more than 600 jobs from its Indianapolis facility, despite promises made as part of a deal with President Donald Trump to keep the positions in the U.S.
In a letter received by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development on Monday, Carrier said it isn’t closing the facility but the job eliminations will be permanent.
“This action follows a thorough evaluation of our manufacturing operations and is intended to address the challenges the business faces in a a rapidly changing industry,” Carrier Senior Human Resources Manager Steven Morris wrote in a letter announcing the move.
Not to worry, they are putting those tax savings to good use by automating the remaining jobs:
According to the Indianapolis Star, the layoffs announced by Carrier in its letter to the state was more than expected. The company has also said it expects to automate jobs to save money, which will lead to the elimination of more employees as machines take their places.
Raw Story reached out to Chuck Jones, president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, who represents many of the Carrier workers for his reaction:
Jones is dismayed at how Trump pulled the wool over people’s eyes. “Sad thing is people bought into it then, when he was a candidate. Some working-class people still buy into it. They’re fucking stupid. Trump is the Titanic. The greatest ship ever and it fucking sunk. He said he’s going to save this country and if he keeps going like he has, he’s going to sink the country.”
Robert James, who works at Carrier’s Indianapolis plant and will become USW 1999 president in June, says the job losses are “devastating.” James says the mood among workers today is one of “closure.” But, “It’s going to be hard for them. You don’t replace jobs paying $25 an hour, like at Carrier and Rexnord. They got warehouse jobs paying ten to twelve dollars an hour. This is going to do damage to families, cause unnecessary stress and strain.”
James says, “I don’t think the president is going to be of any help to the workers. Things he’s proposing like healthcare are going to hurt them and their families. I don’t think Trump cares about workers.”
Are you tired of winning yet? Because personally, I’m tired. So very tired.