Dive Brief:
- As Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation’s 45th president, General Motors will lay off 2,000 workers, CNN Money reports. GM is letting go 1,200 workers in Lordstown, OH, and another 800 in Lansing, MI.
- Trump blasted GM in a tweet earlier this month about manufacturing the Chevy Cruze in Mexico, then praised the big automaker this week when it announced on Tuesday that it’s investing in 2,000 U.S. jobs in upcoming years. Trump is taking credit for GM’s decision, says CNN.
- The Ohio and Michigan layoffs are the first in six years for GM. CNN says both states were crucial to Trump’s political campaign and ultimate victory as the presidential nominee.
Dive Insight:
Trump’s campaign cry was about bringing jobs “back home” from abroad. Since he won the election, GM, IBM and other companies have announced plans to add more jobs in the U.S. American workers, like those in Lordstown, hope these companies create the jobs they’re promising.
However, analysis from Bloomberg reveals that many of these job announcements were incoming anyway, regardless of Trump's election. Such news is continued proof that the real narrative will always be more complicated than what is provided, and that the jobs environment will likely take more than Trump's inauguration to see actual change ... especially as challenges such as automation take hold in the manufacturing industry.
