DfMC Link-Up: Labor in Politics, Past and Future

Thursday, June 8, 2017 - 6:00pm

WHERE: The Running Crab, 2038 N Walnut St Bloomington, IN

Labor in Politics, Past and Future
Featuring Chuck Jones and Chuck Deppert

At our June Link-Up, sponsored by the local Jobs with Justice chapter and DFMC, join us to meet Hoosier hero Chuck Jones and Chuck Deppert. Many will remember that last year, United Technologies made $5 billion in profits, while also announcing hundreds of layoffs at its Carrier plants in Indiana. As president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, Chuck Jones fought for the jobs of his fellow union members. When Trump and Pence gave millions of dollars in subsidies to Carrier, Chuck Jones pointed out that Trump's promises to save workers' jobs did not add up. Trumps promise to save 1100 or more of those jobs turned out to be only 800, of the 1400 jobs slated to be moved. Jones told the Washington Post days later that Trump had "lied his ass off." He suspected the then-president-elect was including in his count design and engineering jobs that were never going to leave. Trump responded on Twitter by saying Jones had done a "terrible job" as union president. Sadly, Chuck Jones is being proven right, with over 600 layoffs at Carrier in Indiana coming this year, including many right before Christmas. His local 1999 United Steelworkers Local also made waves by endorsing the presidential candidacy of Senator Bernie Sanders, breaking with much of the labor movement.

Chuck Jones will be joined by Chuck Deppert, former president of the Indiana AFL-CIO, who led the state's fight against NAFTA in the early 1990s, securing the votes of 8 out of 10 Indiana members of Congress against the disastrous, job-killing agreement.

The two Chucks will provide us with some important insights on taking the Democratic party back to its roots in labor, important given how poorly Democrats fared among the working class both in Indiana and nationwide in last year's election. Please join us and enjoy a night with Bloomington's most exciting progressives and lets learn something together! Get there at six to grab a seat and get some some food. Discussion starts at 6:30. We would appreciate it if you would add event to your calendar and share with your membership. Feel free to invite friends and share event as well at:  Labor in Politics, Past and Future