Carrier Workers Get Severance Deal

August 6, 2016 
By Steven Wishnia and Neal Tepel

Indianapolis, IN – The 1,400 workers who will lose their jobs when the Carrier Corp. closes its air-conditioner factory here will receive one week of severance pay for every year of they’ve worked there, under an agreement between the company and United Steelworkers Local 1999 announced July 26.

They will also receive six months of medical insurance and reimbursement for education and technical training. The deal gives the workers more than they would have gotten under the terms of their contract, said Steelworkers business representative Kelly Hugunin, but Local 1999 President Chuck Jones said it fell far short of what they merited. “We feel like the people deserve a whole hell of a lot more for what they put into the facility,” he said. “They are losing their jobs through no fault of their own due to pure and simple corporate greed.” Carrier announced in February that it would close the Indianapolis plant, where workers make $14 to $26 an hour, and move its manufacturing operation to Mexico, where workers will start at $3.  Read more