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Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Scott Walker helping companies Offshore Labor with WEDC taxpayer money.

In an exclusive report by WKOW 27 News (video to come), this Scott Walker WEDC bombshell:
At least two companies that received financial awards from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) later outsourced jobs to foreign countries, with one of those companies receiving a second WEDC award after the fact.

A 27 News investigation has uncovered that both the Eaton Corporation and Plexus Corporation received millions of dollars only to later lay off workers whose jobs were taken by employees at the companies' foreign facilities. In April of 2013, Eaton laid off 163 employees at its Cooper Power Systems plant in Pewaukee and announced it was moving those jobs to Mexico  … WEDC awarded Plexus Corp. with tax credits of up to $2 million in 2011 and up to $15 million in 2012.  Plexus has received $4.7 million in tax credits to this point. In July of 2012, Plexus announced it was laying off 116 workers from its facility in Neenah.  The U.S. Department of Labor has since ruled those employees are eligible to receive federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits … employees who were laid off because their jobs were outsourced to foreign countries.
But offshoring won’t stop the corporate welfare:
WEDC Spokesperson Mark Maley says "If a company makes a business decision to move some of its jobs out of the state - despite our best efforts - we will continue to work with that company to ensure that as many jobs as possible remain in Wisconsin."
Burke was quick to response thank god:
Mary Burke: "It is appalling to me that at a time when we rank dead last, 10th out of 10 in the Midwest in private sector job growth, Governor Walker's WEDC is giving taxpayer money to companies that lay off Wisconsin workers and then ship jobs overseas. As Governor, I will insist that every WEDC award protects against the outsourcing of Wisconsin jobs and companies that don't live up to their end of the deal give back every tax dollar they received."
Oh yeah, hello to WISGOP...a big oops:
The Republican Party of Wisconsin has criticized Burke for outsourcing jobs to China as an executive Trek Bicycle.
Bottom line: 
The leader of one Wisconsin business group calls the news disturbing. "What's troubling to me about this is that these companies were given tax dollars explicitly to keep jobs here in Wisconsin," said Lori Compas, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Business Alliance.  "To take taxpayers' money and then turn around and fire hundreds of Wisconsin workers is a real slap in the face."
Here's WKOW's Greg Neumann with the report:



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