Some Carrier Jobs Will Be Saved
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Some Carrier employees in Indiana will keep their jobs, while other positions, as planned, will move to Mexico.
President-elect Donald Trump has met with Carrier executives to keep the plant open for manufacturing gas furnaces. This is good news: more than 1,000 U.S. positions will be saved, but communication with employees has been lacking. Understandably, employees are skeptical about the decision and want more details.
Here are a few quotes from those affected:
- "There's excitement with most people, but there's a lot of skepticism and worry because we don't know the details."
- "There's a few that are worried. And there's still a few that don't even believe this is real. They think it's a play, a set-up or a scam."
- "Who is going to be retained? What is the structure there will be for the retention? What is going to be put in place?" "Are these the same jobs at the same wage? I would sure like to know as soon as I can."
- "I'm optimistic, but I don't know what the situation is. I guess it's a good sign. ... You would think they would keep us in the loop. But we know nothing."
The last quotation is from the president of a local United Steelworkers union. The plant closure was announced in February and video recorded by an employee. During the meeting, the speaker said that they would involve union representatives, but they may be a missing link in this recent news.
Carrier released a statement about the decision, claiming, "The incentives offered by the state were an important consideration." Vice President-elect Mike Pence is currently the governor of Indiana.
Discussion Starters:
- What advice would you give to Carrier executives about how the plan is communicated? Consider how the initial announcement took place as well.
- The company has a practical challenge: although they may have accepted incentives to keep the plant open, details about staffing have yet to be worked out. How can they communicate with employees in the meantime?
