The United Steelworkers (USW) earlier called out Giti Tire for “misspending millions in Covid-19 stimulus funds”. The group, one of South Carolina’s largest unions and representing 850,000-workforce in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply, and the energy-producing industries, as well as workers in the public sector and service occupations, presses the Singapore-headquartered tyremaker to “begin honouring its promises to the people of Chester County”.
A report from AFREF (Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund), the Main Street Alliance, South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Centre, and Good Jobs First, published in March stated that Giti has” improperly took nearly US$10 million from a federal program intended to help small, independent businesses keep workers employed during the pandemic.”. It also claimed that Giti, “after pocketing the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, “ Giti laid off an estimated 100 workers.
USW District 9 Director Daniel Flippo, who represents Steelworkers in South Carolina, six other southern states and the US Virgin Islands, also claims that Giti has accepted US$60 million in tax breaks to build a plant and has not gotten close to the 1,700 jobs it had promised to create.
Flippo adds: “It’s time for Giti to begin acting responsibly, and that means not only creating the jobs it promised but paying family-sustaining wages and giving back to the community.”