Trump's Latest Target: Carrier Union President

Leader accused president-elect of lying about saving jobs
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 8, 2016 1:27 AM CST
Updated Dec 8, 2016 6:29 AM CST
Trump's Latest Target: Union President
President-elect Donald Trump talks with workers at Carrier on, Dec. 1, 2016, in Indianapolis.   (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

In the four weeks he has been president-elect, Donald Trump's tweets have targeted the New York Times, the cast of Hamilton, China, flag-burners, Boeing, and Saturday Night Live, among others—and now it's the turn of Chuck Jones, president of the union that represents Carrier employees in Indianapolis. Jones, "who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers," Trump tweeted Wednesday. "No wonder companies flee country!" The tweet came after Jones told CNN and the Washington Post that Trump hadn't kept as many jobs from moving to Mexico as he claimed. Trump deserves credit for saving some jobs, but he "lied his a-- off" when he said 1,100 jobs had been saved, because the real figure is below 800 and hundreds of union members are still being laid off, Jones told the Post.

"If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana. Spend more time working-less time talking. Reduce dues," Trump said in another tweet. Jones tells the Indianapolis Star that Trump "doesn't know what in the hell he's talking about," because the company's original offer would have forced employees to work for $5 an hour without benefits. He says he has been receiving threats from Trump supporters. "Calling me names, wanting to know if I have children," he says. "I better watch out for myself, and they know what kind of car I drive, that I better watch out for my kids." But he says he is still open to working with Trump to save jobs. "When it comes to people's livelihoods, I think everybody has to put everything aside," he says. (More Donald Trump stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X