Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

UAW Bashes Todd Young For Auto Bailout Criticism

Brandon Smith
/
Indiana Public Broadcasting

The United Auto Workers union is criticizing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Young for his past comments on the auto industry bailout.

UAW officials gathered in three union halls around the state Thursday to publicly attack Young.

The events coincide with a new ad from the Evan Bayh campaign. Both criticize Young for comments he made during his first congressional run in 2010, calling the federal auto industry bailout a “waste.”

And UAW representative Jim Bewley says those comments, along with other stances Young has taken – including his past support for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal – are why the union won’t support Young.

“All you have to do is look at his stance on increasing the minimum wage and Mr. Young does not support the American worker and his actions have proven that in the past,” Bewley charges.

Young voted against legislative language to raise the federal minimum wage.

In a statement, Young campaign spokesman Jay Kenworthy calls Evan Bayh a “rubber stamp” for President Obama on bailouts and Obamacare.

And Kenworthy says Young speaks out on behalf of Hoosiers.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.