Incentivizing in Mississippi: More on the Nuclear Option

It should come as no surprise that Governor Phil Bryant is ready to dump nuclear waste on Mississippians after an alarming report a few weeks ago by Roger Bybee on the Huffington Post.

After over a billion dollars in incentives, Nissan’s Canton plant has still not lived up to their end of the bargain in hiring a full-time, full benefits, full pay (an average of $19.50/hour was promised) workforce. Instead, anywhere from 35-40% of the workforce are comprised of low-paid temporary workers. Which means $12.50/hour with no benefits.

For several years, UAW has been working with Nissan workers and activists to at minimum have a union vote, at most actually unionize the workers. And not just because of pay and benefits - workers have reported health and safety issues and other general management problems and simply want their concerns addressed.

But, when you’ve basically paid a company to come to your state, they aren’t really incentivized to treat your workers well - especially when they are allowed to get away with the things Nissan’s Canton management is doing.

Imagine the incentives and corporate begging the Governor will be doing to bring a nuclear option (there are multiple plans being discussed, though apparently, he's retreating on nuclear waste dumping), which will probably not bring the jobs or pay expected, and to the environmental detriment of Mississippi and the potentially lethal detriment to our workers and their families.