dupe

[kpete]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024764767




Haslam Administration Linked $300M Offer To VW-UAW Process

News 5 in Nashville obtained these documents: Haslam administration linked $300 million to VW-UAW process

Were hundreds of millions of your tax dollars offered to Volkswagen -- and then pulled back -- to try to keep the United Auto Workers out of Chattanooga?

For months, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has denied any connection.

But documents leaked to NewsChannel 5 Investigates offer conclusive proof that the Haslam administration wanted a say in the automaker's deal with organized labor -- in exchange for $300 million in economic incentives to help VW expand its Chattanooga operations.

.....................................

News Channel 5 obtained a confidential report called Project Trinity. In it Haslam gives away millions of taxpayer dollars, if VW does not go with UAW:

Marked confidential, it offers Volkswagen incentives of some $300 million -- in exchange for 1,350 full-time jobs at a new SUV facility.

The catch?

"The incentives … are subject to works council discussions between the State of Tennessee and VW being concluded to the satisfaction of the State of Tennessee."

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/25122909/haslam-administration-linked-300m-offer-to-vw-uaw-process?fb_action_ids=10153958636865364&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=.Uzq3A6gRTd4.like&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582


more:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/01/1288896/-TN-Gov-Haslam-offered-VW-300-million-in-incentives-if-no-UAW

[MADem]

1. Hmmm--Who's the Biggest A-hole in Town?

...UAW organizer Gary Casteel argued that they show the Haslam administration was part of a coordinated anti-union campaign doing exactly what they had denied -- using hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers as leverage.

"I think since this document is public, and I appreciate you bringing it forward, that it's obvious that the state was threatening or at least intimidating Volkswagen (that), to get the incentives, they had to change their business model," he said.

Shame on the state!

[spanone]

2. yes he did. he also refused medicaid expansion for needy tennesseans.

[Jefferson23]

3. This is what we are up against, all the fucking time..sigh. n/t

[tech3149]

5. Been down that road too many times to count

Back in the 70's our state and local government gave away the golden goose to get Chrysler to put a facility in the neighborhood to "create jobs". Well the jobs mostly went to people from Detroit who could follow the work. Then they sold it off to VW. Once the subsidies were gone, so was VW. Then came Sony, same story all over again, though I will admit they are still here with a much smaller footprint.
It seems like every time some local government blows their own horn about an "economic development" coup, somebody is getting a sweetheart deal at the public's expense.
Any time some politico starts talking about "economic development" make sure that money is going to some small local company otherwise they are just picking your pocket.

[Jefferson23]

6. Absolutely, over and over again. n/t

[Historic NY]

4. Union Busting on a large scale......using public funds.