INDIANAPOLIS -- When Carrier announced it was planning to relocate 1,400 jobs from Indianapolis to Monterrey, Mexico, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett issued an executive order to create a task force to assemble local, state and federal resources to help the employees.
On Wednesday, Hogsett and the co-chairs of the task force met with our Rafael Sanchez to discuss how the task force plans to help the Carrier employees.
Who is on the task force?
The task force is made up of local, state and federal stakeholders that include:
- Angela Smith-Jones, Deputy Mayor, City of Indianapolis (Co-chair)
- Jeff Bennett, Deputy Mayor, City of Indianapolis (Co-chair)
- Jared Evans, City-County Council
- Marilyn Pfisterer, City-County Council
- Chuck Jones, President of United Steelworkers Local 1999
- Mike Huber, Indy Chamber
- Karlee Macer, Indiana State Representative
- Leigh Anne Downes, EmployIndy
- Megan Sims from Congressman Andre Carson's office
- Brandon Herget from Senator Joe Donnelly's office
- Matt Row from Senator Dan Coats' office
- Michael Gehrich, Vincennes University Aviation Technology
- Corinna Vonderwell, Vincennes University Aviation Technology
What does the task force plan to do?
The task force will focus on recovering tax incentives and helping Carrier employees find good paying, meaningful job opportunities. After meeting with Gov. Pence earlier this month, Carrier agreed to return $1.2 million in tax incentives to the Metropolitan Development Commission in Indianapolis.
Mayor Hogsett called on United Technlogies and Carrier to return the money within 30 days. Hogsett says they want to use that money to invest in job training for Carrier employees.
Jeff Bennett says the task force has already received interest from companies that want to help the employees by providing them with skilled manufacturing and tech jobs.
How can Carrier employees get in touch with the task force?
The city launched a website for the Carrier Task Force that will provide information for both employees and employers.
You may notice when you visit the website that parts of the website, including the job placement opportunities and training opportunities, say Coming soon. The co-chairs of the task force say they are waiting to see what incentives the Carrier employees receive from the company before they start posting the new opportunities.
"When the time is right, there are employers that have reached out to us already and said, ‘Hey, when these workers are ready to move, we’ve got a place for some of them,'" Bennett said.
They say both employers and employees have signed up for the site.
FULL COVERAGE: Hogsett calls on Carrier to return $1.2M within 30 days | TIMELINE: Carrier to ship 1,400 jobs from Indiana to Mexico | Coats, Donnelly have 'disappointing' meeting with Carrier execs | IEDC responds to Sen. Donnelly's comments on Carrier | Hogsett, Donnelly meet with Carrier workers| Sen. Donnelly: Carrier never cited federal regulations as reason for move | Union president: 'We're not going away quietly' | Carrier employees protest move at statehouse| Pence on Carrier meeting: 'I don't want to create any false hope for people' | Moving to Mexico: What you need to know about Monterrey, Mexico | Moving to Mexico: On the ground in Monterrey, Mexico, where Carrier is moving Trump weights in on Carrier relocation to Mexico | Carrier: Company did not receive $5M in federal stimulus funds | President of United Steelworkers Union: No hope of saving 1,400 jobs | Carrier employees, local businesses reel after announcement of move to Mexico | WATCH: Employees react to news that Carrier is moving from Indy to Mexico | Pence to review Carrier's plans to move to Mexico | TRUMP: Carrier should be taxed for their goods after move to Mexico | Hogsett, Donnelly meet with Carrier workers | City, state stepping in to help Carrier employees | Indiana leaders ask Carrier for a meeting to try to keep the plant, jobs in the state
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