Trump Helps Save Carrier Jobs

On November 29th, Carrier publicly announced its deal with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect and former Indiana Governor Mike Pence. The brokered deal is arranged to keep nearly 1,000 jobs in Indianapolis. The air conditioning and appliance manufacturer was confirmed to move internationally to Mexico, taking thousands of Midwest, working class jobs with it. It was even said that layoffs would have begun as early as February, 2017.

Representatives from Carrier said to Pence on Wednesday that, “the incentives offered by the state were an important consideration” when determining if they were to stay. However, what these incentives actually are still remains unclear. The company is likely referring to Trump’s threats of strict tariffs if Carrier and many other companies were to make the move.

However, the state of Indiana and federal government are grateful for the company staying; Trump, Pence and Carrier have received some backlash for their deal. Vermont senator and former Democratic Party nominee, Bernie Sanders criticizes Trump saying that, “he has signaled to every corporation in America that they can threaten to offshore jobs in exchange for business-friendly tax benefits and incentives.” Others have stated that the Carrier deal with Trump is just one small manufacturer in Indiana compared to the thousands across the nation that are moving overseas causing the economy and workers to suffer. To many, small companies having such a huge hold on Trump is a worrying thought, but to the working class and government, it is worth it to save jobs and the economy.