Union workers in Huntsville protest TVA layoffs

Union workers in Huntsville protest TVA layoffs

Since october of 2019!

Another protest in big spring park this afternoon.

This time union workers complaining the tennessee valley authority is laying off employees - and saying more are expected.

The tva is using an outside contractor to staff part of its i-t department to make long term upgrades.

But the union thinks it's just an excuse to hire foreign workers.

Waay 31's ashley carter spoke with one tva employee who says the decision is going to hurt people now and in the future.

Stacy whetzell, protester: "we're not against foreign workers, we welcome them but what we don't welcome is for american companies to fire americans to hire them."

Stacy whetzell has worked for the tennessee valley authority for forty five years.

He says his reasoning for protesting against tva today were personal stacy whetzell, protester: "i'm here for my co workers that are still raising families, i'm here for my kids and my grand kids wondering will there be american jobs in the future for them if we are on the path to just outsource into foreign countries."

But t-v-a says that's not what's happening....t-v-a told me there may be foreign workers hired....but those workers will already be legally able to work in the united states malinda hunter, tva "all workers must be located in the united states, that may include a worker whose from another country and has a visa to work here."

Malinda hunter is the spokesperson for tva....she told me the process started more than a year ago and that it's been a team effort.

Malinda hunter, tva " their union partners have been part of this discussion and although they may not agree with some of the changes that have been made we continue to make sure they have a seat at the table with these discussions."

In an unusual twist, senate candidate and former attorney general jeff sessions supported the union's protest.

He said it's another example of immigration problems. "the workers here today, they're saying this is a danger to the tva, all of us and it highlights a flaw in our immigration system that was never intended.

They never intended to hire h1b1 workers to fire americans and place the foreign workers in there instead" hunter also said the only layoffs made so far have been in tennessee.

She said and the electric company gave those employees a chance to transfer and helped others find new jobs.

In downtown hsv, ac, w31n senate candidate jeff sessions also joined protesters and spoke about the issue but at a time of unbelievably high unemployment, we should not be bringing people to take jobs, jobs that don't exist every job they would take means that some unemployed american didn't get it."