Union after Carrier meeting: ‘It’s corporate greed’

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH)–Local union leaders and Carrier officials met Tuesday morning to discuss the future of 2,100 Hoosiers expected to lose their jobs.

Local 1999 President Chuck Jones said he asked company leaders if anything can be done to keep the company from moving its Indianapolis operation to Mexico.

“Their response was, with the wage discrepancy, it’s highly unlikely that anything can be done,” Jones said.

According to Jones, Carrier officials said in the meeting that they plan to pay workers about $3 an hour in Mexico and they pay Indianapolis workers about $20 an hour.

A Carrier spokesperson declined to confirm those figures and said the company does not discuss union negotiations.

“It’s corporate greed,” Jones said. “We’ve got an excellent workforce as far as producing a good, quality product. They were making money, they just want more money.”

Carrier won $5.1 million in federal tax credits in 2013 but company leaders said they haven’t received the credit.

State leaders said they already awarded Carrier more than $190,000 in grants. A statement from Gov. Mike Pence’s office said Carrier should repay taxpayers.

“We will not retain or claim any credits for obligations that have not been met,” a Carrier spokesperson said through email.

Jones said he’ll continue to meet with Carrier to discuss separation benefits and he’ll do whatever he can to help workers get new jobs.

“I feel so sorry for the people out there that, due to no fault of their own, are losing their livelihood.”

Jones said Carrier will start fazing out jobs in May 2017. He said company officials told him some of their competitors are already operating in Mexico.