AAM, AFL-CIO presidents resigning from Trump council (updated)

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Paul

WASHINGTON — Scott Paul, president of the American Alliance for Manufacturing, and Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, resigned from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative Aug. 15. Thea Lee, deputy chief of staff for the AFL-CIO, also stepped down.

Mr. Trumka resigned later in the day Aug. 15, tweeting that his resignation was effective immediately. 

Prior to announcing his resignation, Mr. Trumka was outspoken about the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., and criticized President Trump's response to it.

“Yesterday in #Charlottesville the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis,” he tweeted Aug. 13. He added:

 “This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America. #Charlottesville.” He later tweeted: “#Charlottesville response must begin w/ leaders, starting w/ POTUS, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry”

Mr. Trumka also released the following statement through the AFL-CIO website: "Yesterday in Charlottesville, Va., the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis. This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America.

"The true values of our country, values like equality and solidarity, are what have always overcome the most abominable prejudices. Any response must begin with our leaders, starting with President Trump, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry. My heart goes out to the victims especially the family of those who lost their lives including a young woman named Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. I pray for everyone's safety. 

"The labor movement condemns this domestic terrorism and remains committed to eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance."

Mr. Paul did not expound on his decision, and the AAM did not immediately provide a statement.

The AAM is  a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union.

Mr. Trump established the jobs council in January, enlisting a cadre of "successful and creative business leaders" to share their experiences and insight into how to promote job growth and get Americans back to work again.

Mr. Paul previously had retweeted a statement from Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, that said, “I stand with my Republican colleague. This was domestic terrorism. We must all condemn white nationalism. -SB”

Mr. Brown was responding to a tweet from fellow Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, which read: “The tragedy in Charlottesville this afternoon was domestic terrorism. We must all condemn hatred and white nationalism.”

Minutes before Mr. Paul announced his intentions, Mr. Trump tweeted about members of the council.

"For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!" Mr. Trump tweeted.

 

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Counting the resignations of Mr. Paul, Mr. Trumka and Ms. Lee, six have stepped down from the council in the wake of the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and Mr. Trump's response to it. 

 Merck Pharma CEO Ken Frazier was the first to step down, followed by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.

Dow Chemical Co. Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris said he will remain on the council.

“I condemn the violence this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, and my thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and with the people of Virginia,” Mr. Liveris said in a prepared statement that was released through Twitter.

“In Dow, there is no room for hatred, racism, or bigotry. Dow will continue to work to strengthen the social and economic fabric of the communities where it operates — including supporting policies that help create employment opportunities in manufacturing and rebuild the American workforce.”

Several others who represent companies throughout the rubber industry remain on the council, and have not issued any formal statements through Twitter or on their respective firm's media relations web pages.

Among those remaining on the jobs board are: Jim Kamsickas, president, CEO and director of Dana Inc.; Rich Kyle, Timken Co. president and CEO; Doug Oberhelman, former chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc.; Inge Thulin, president, CEO and chairman of 3M Co.; and Wendell Weeks, Corning Inc.'s chairman and CEO.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk resigned from the council after Mr. Trump announced the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

Mark Fields, former CEO of Ford Motor Co., left the board when he stepped down from his CEO position in May.

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