United Steelworkers Intl. President: Chuck Jones Obligated to Tell Union Members the Facts

President-elect Trump’s deal with UTX (NYSE:UTX) owned air-conditioner maker Carrier to keep jobs in the state of Indiana has come under scrutiny, including the start of a war of words with local union president.

Trump, who said the deal would save about 1,100 jobs, was criticized by Chuck Jones, president of United Steelworkers 1999, when Jones learned that the number was not as large.

“When Chuck wanted to do more investigating he found out that there were only 730 jobs that were staying, plus 70 management jobs. It was then his obligation to go and tell his membership that and to tell them that those figures were wrong,” said United Steelworkers International President Leo Gerard in an interview with David Asman on After the Bell on the FOX Business Network.

He stressed that the organization is ready to work with President-elect Trump to fix the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], trade relations with China and the trade deal with South Korea. He added that he hopes Trump will follow through on his campaign promise to tax American companies making products overseas and exporting them back to the U.S.

“I’m with him on that,” said Gerard. “When he wants to fix NAFTA, we’re with him on that. When we want to have an infrastructure bill that’s going to modernize America’s infrastructure and do it with domestic products, I want to be with him on that.”

That said, Gerard is not happy with the way Trump handled the situation with Jones.

“Don’t attack our local union president for doing his job,” Gerard said, adding, “The fact is that Chuck clarified some things and the President-elect didn’t like it and tweeted. I think they’ve both had their skirmish, now we better get down to work and save some more jobs.”