WGAW President Howard A. Rodman’s Statement in Support of United Steelworkers of America Local 1999 President Chuck Jones
LOS ANGELES – Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) President Howard A. Rodman has issued the following statement:
“Chuck Jones is President of United Steelworkers Local 1999, which represents the workers of the Carrier plants in Indiana. This week he spoke out about the much-publicized deal to keep over a thousand jobs from moving to Mexico, calling it a promise ‘half-way delivered.’ He pointed out a truer set of numbers: that even as Carrier would receive seven million dollars in tax breaks, 550 of his members would lose their livelihoods after all.
In retaliation the President-elect of the United States, Tweeting from his gilded apartment atop the tower that bears his name, lashed out yesterday at the union. He said its dues were too high. He blamed the workers themselves for the loss of jobs. And he attacked Jones by name. As a consequence Jones and his family are now on the receiving end of a torrent of hate. He was told ‘I better watch out for myself, and they know what kind of car I drive, that I better watch out for my kids.’
Whether we work in Culver City or Indianapolis, in writers rooms or on factory floors, we all of us have the right to fight for a better deal. We stand in solidarity with the members of Local 1999 and with their chosen leadership. And we will not stand in silence as a President-elect, soon a President, uses his vast powers to intimidate the working men and women of our republic.”
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union representing writers of motion pictures, television, radio and Internet programming, including news and documentaries. Founded in 1933, the Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members. It is involved in a wide range of programs that advance the interests of writers, and is active in public policy and legislative matters on the local, national and international levels. For more information on the WGAW, please visit: www.wga.org.