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Pres. Trump draws attention to Rexnord in tweet

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — With 140 characters, President Donald Trump reignited national interest Sunday in a company’s decision to move hundreds of jobs from Indianapolis to Mexico.

“Rexnord of Indiana made a deal during the Obama Administration to move to Mexico. Fired their employees. Tax product big that’s sold in the U.S.,” Trump tweeted.

Kyle Beaman knows it’s just a tweet-far from legislation-but it’s a tweet that caught his attention. He was fired from Rexnord two weeks ago after 10 years with the company.

“I hope he taxes them to hell and back,” Beaman said.

The former quality control inspector said he’s not sure how much a tax would hurt Rexnord but he said his former employer deserves whatever consequences come their way. The company posted his firing on a layoff sheet and he said no one met with him in person.

“[I felt] disgusted,” Beaman said. “I could use others words. But disgusted.”

Rexnord workers said Beaman is one of about 100 workers to leave the plant in the past month. The company did respond to an email from 24-Hour News 8 Monday, but union leaders said Rexnord plans to pay workers around $3 an hour in Mexico.

Don Zering expects to be fired in July after 43 years with Rexnord.

“I have zero hope that tweet is going to do anything,” Zering said. “The tax is just something to try to blame it on [Rexnord] but it still doesn’t get our jobs back. We can talk about all the taxes but there’s still 250 people left in there who are going to lose their jobs.”

Zering and Beaman both feel that Rexnord’s changing workforce will hurt the company more than a tax. They feel workers won’t be as efficient when they’re being paid low wages in Mexico.

Workers said the company has moved more than 15 machines out of the west Indianapolis plant.

President Trump has not elaborated on his tweet or explained exactly how a tax on Rexnord products could work.

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