Worker hopes Trump keeps his promise to stop factory moving to Mexico

So far, the company has been unmoved. In fact, Carrier says it's sticking with its plan to relocate to Monterrey.

Roell spoke with As It Happens host Carol Off about why those campaign promises won him over and motivated him to vote for Trump. Here is part of their conversation.

Carol Off: Paul, when you were told that management was going to make this move, what was it like for people like yourself working at the factory?

Paul Roell: It was very demoralizing and just a big let down. We felt betrayed by the company that they were going to move when they had been telling us how profitable that we had been for them. It was just out of blue, out of nowhere, when they told us.

CO: I understand that some workers at the company in Indianapolis are going to Mexico to do training, Mexican workers are coming up to measure equipment for their factory. How does it feel to see all of that activity?

PR: It's just very demoralizing when they come in and they're doing that. Like I've said before, it's like you're going through a divorce, you're still in love with your wife, but she's having her new boyfriend come over and he's walking around in your house checking everything out.


CO: What did Mr. Trump promise in the election campaign? What did he promise people at the Carrier factory?

PR: He promised that after he was elected president that he would put a 35 per cent tax on any air conditioners and furnaces that Carrier shipped back across the border.

CO: This isn't just in general about manufactured goods coming from Mexico — this was specifically Carrier that he mentioned in his speeches. How did that feel when you heard him take on the very company that your were employed with, but about to lose your job from?

PR: It felt really great to have somebody on our side that was acknowledging the troubles and issues that we were going through — that they are willing to fight for us.

CO: Mr. Trump also predicted at the rallies that he attended that Carrier would actually call him up and say, "Sir, we've decided to stay in the United States."

PR: Yes, he said that. I'm kind of realistic when it comes to stuff like that. I don't really think that's how it's going to go. I think they may have discussion and they might talk about keeping some jobs here in America, instead of just shipping everything to Mexico.

CO: What has the company said since Mr. Trump became the president-elect? Have they said that they will reconsider the plan to move to Monterrey?

PR: No. On Friday, they issued a statement saying they are still going to do everything they can to help their employees with this transition.

CO: So they're still going. By 2019, they will be gone and you'll be out of a job?

PR: Yes.

CO: How much of what Mr. Trump said influenced your decision to how you voted?

PR: That was probably about 50 per cent of the reason I voted for him. I also voted for his ideals and promises on how he is going to secure our border with Mexico and try to keep some of the refugees from the Muslim countries until they get vetted pretty well.