Thursday, December 13, 2012

Right to Work Did NOT Bring Jobs to Indiana


On his program this evening, Ed Schultz talked about how Michigan Gov. Snyder has been talking about Indiana's success with their new right to work law. Ed pointed to the Economic Policy Institute's reports on Indiana's real results of the RTW law.  (Note: IEDC represents the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.)

Economic Policy Institute:

...At least four other companies that IEDC claims were motivated by RTW—all of whom received economic incentives from IEDC officials—have a long history in Indiana....

...IEDC is a vocal advocate for RTW. Yet, while the agency reports that scores of companies have “communicated” that RTW “will factor into their decision-making process of where to locate,” the commission’s Legislative Update report does not identify a single company that says RTW made the difference in its decision to locate in Indiana. The commission offers quotes from a number of executives who praise RTW, but not a single one says it made the difference in their decisions....

.....The extent to which RTW is discounted in business location decisions is apparent in the significant number of Indiana firms that—since the passage of RTW—continue to choose to invest in other, non-RTW states......


In related news, a newspaper article announced new jobs coming to Indiana:
PostTrib:

Nine companies announced plans Tuesday to create up to 2,550 jobs in Indiana over the next six years, and Gov. Mitch Daniels promised more announcements in the weeks before he leaves office as he looks to end his eight years in the Statehouse on a high note....

....The companies’ plans vary widely, from Angie’s List’s plans to hire 850 new sales and customer service representatives in Indianapolis to Mitsubishi’s plans for 73 new jobs as it builds turbochargers at its Franklin plant. A pair of Arizona-based food companies — Inventure Foods and Cafe Valley — could add up to 480 jobs combined by 2018....

Here are the facts:
-  Angie's List has been in Indiana for several years. According to the BBB, Angie's List started business in 1995 in Indiana. They did not move to Indiana because of RTW laws.

-  The Mitsubishi plant has been in Indiana since 1995 (source: Manta). They did not move to Indiana because of the RTW laws.

Inventure Foods: A Bluffton, Indiana, facility – the location where T.G.I. Friday’s snack foods are produced – was acquired in 1999....  The Inventure Foods location has been in Indian since 1999. They did not move to Indiana because of the RTW laws.

- According to the Indiana government site, Cafe Valley Inc, has been in Indiana for several years. They did not move to Indiana because of the RTW laws.

Other companies mentioned at the Indiana website as adding jobs includes:
---Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations has been in the state for 50 years (Indiana.gov).

---ExactTarget began in Indianapolis, Indiana in the year 2000 (source: ExactTarget).

--- Atwood Mobile was started in 1909 in Elkhart, Indiana (source: Businessweek).

--- Bidpalnetwork has been in Indiana since 2008 (source: Bidpalnetwork).

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels may have awarded a few bucks to these companies to hire more people, but the Indiana RTW laws did not bring new companies to their state.

No matter what these Republican governors claim, the anti-union agenda has not and will not help their state. This is all Republican b*@@".+t.