Staff Report - The StatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Republicans and Democrats are reaching across the aisle to urge United Technologies, the parent company of Carrier and UTEC, to not leave Indiana.
U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, Gov. Mike Pence, U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, and Huntington Mayor Brooks Fetters sent a letter Wednesday requesting a meeting with United Technologies. This comes after Carrier and UTEC announced that they plan to move operations from Indianapolis and Huntington to Mexico. The state is expected to lose more than 2,000 jobs.
In the letter, the Indiana elected officials wrote, “While we struggle to understand the basis of your business decision, we continue to believe that when we work together we can solve most problems.”
The full letter can be found below:
Dear Mr. Hayes and Mr. McDonough,
We write to you in support of the 1,400 workers at the Indianapolis Carrier facility and the 700 workers at the Huntington UTEC facility who received the devastating news last week that their jobs will be moved to Mexico. Carrier and UTEC have served as pillars of our communities for decades, and many of the individuals set to lose their livelihoods have given their lives to your company.
While we struggle to understand the basis of your business decision, we continue to believe that when we work together we can solve most problems. It is this pragmatic approach combined with your loyal and talented workforce and their dedication to your brands that has helped Carrier and UTEC to many years of success.
Just as your workforce has done right by Carrier and UTEC, we are now asking you to do right by them. We understand that you are meeting with union officials to discuss the decision to move your operations to Mexico. We ask that Carrier, UTEC, and United Technologies also meet with our offices to discuss this issue, and hope that you come to the table in good faith and work to find a solution to continue this partnership that has brought success to your company and strengthened our communities.
On behalf of the workers at Carrier and UTEC and the Hoosier communities in which they live, we stand ready to support these discussions.
Sincerely,
Senator Joe Donnelly
Governor Mike Pence
Senator Dan Coats
Congressman Andre Carson
Congressman Marlin Stutzman
Mayor Joseph Hogsett
Mayor Brooks Fetters
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