INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – Eyewitness News has learned that the State of Indiana has offered Carrier a $7 million tax break deal over ten years. The package involves contingencies for employment, job retention and capital investment.
The deal would keep nearly 1,000 Carrier jobs in Indianapolis.
The State of Indiana tells WTHR that Carrier will keep 1,069 of 1,400 Indianapolis jobs. The company will invest $16 million and get $7 million in state incentives in return.
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice-president-elect Mike Pence are coming to Indianapolis to explain how they brokered the deal to keep the manufacturing jobs from moving to Mexico.
Carrier had planned to move operations to Mexico, laying off nearly 2,100 Indiana workers in the process.
The deal will keep nearly 1,000 jobs in Indianapolis, although the company’s plant in Huntington will still close – laying off about 700 workers. An additional 400 workers in Indianapolis will still likely lose their jobs.
Trump and Pence will announce the deal at the Carrier plant on the west side of Indianapolis at 2 p.m. Thursday. The event is not open to the public.
Chuck Jones, president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, said the union will meet to discuss the deal with Carrier Thursday, as well as Trump and Pence.
He already has a plan of what he’d like to say to Trump.
“I’ve been hammering you pretty good, but what you said you would do about saving these jobs here in Indianapolis, you delivered on, and I thank him,” Jones said.
He said he has nothing to say to Pence.
Jones works for Rexnord and will soon lose his job when the company moves work to Mexico.
“They are profitable,” Jones said of Rexnord. “They produce a good quality bearing, they are the number one bearing manufacturer in this country. And, it’s corporate greed and unfair trade.. If I get an opportunity to talk to President Elect Trump, I’m going to mention Rexnord, and see if he can try to get involved in that somewhat.”
He said he’s seen plants close in the past.
“I’ve been involved in 8-10 plant closures over the years,” Jones said. “I’ve seen what devastation occurs in families when they lose their livelihood, and either they have to go to what’s considered to be a lot lesser paying job, or in some instances, no job at all. Hopefully this won’t happen in the Carrier facility.”
Stage is set (literally) for PE Trump’s jobs announcement at #Carrier in Indy. Watch announcement live on #WTHR & https://t.co/E3g93xgjRK. pic.twitter.com/fwF8uzR66k
— Bob Segall (@BobSegallWTHR) December 1, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice-president-elect Mike Pence are coming to Indianapolis to explain how they brokered the deal to keep the manufacturing jobs from moving to Mexico.
The Carrier deal says anticipated average wage of retained jobs at $30.91 per hour. Total payroll of retained jobs at $68,729,003.
— Kevin Rader (@KevinWTHR) December 1, 2016
Pence says Trump said America would start winning again and we just won. This is just the beginning of a lot more good news across America.
— Kevin Rader (@KevinWTHR) December 1, 2016
Source: WTHR