Job layoffs send shock waves through Ferndale

The Bellingham Herald ^ | Thursday, October 16, 2003 | Aubrey Cohen

[Willie Green]

COMMUNITY: Restaurants, other businesses that depend on workers' salaries expect to share the pain.

FERNDALE - As word spread Wednesday afternoon that Alcoa Intalco Works will lay off one-third of its workers, people reacted with sadness for the 200 families, concern about ripple effects and fear that the worst is still to come.

[Willie Green]

Ripple effect.

[Tacis]

The greed of organized labor strikes again!

[JoeFromCA]

Now main street’s whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there ain’t nobody wants to come down here no more
They’re closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain’t coming back to
Your hometown, your hometown, your hometown, your hometown
Last night me and kate we laid in bed talking about getting out
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I’m thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good
Look around
This is your hometown

Bruce Springsteen, My Hometown:

Foreman says these jobs are going boys (and girls) and they ain't coming back to your hometown...

[sixmil]

Good news for you, all your aluminum is going to be cheaper now!?

I'm no fan of organized labor, but even non-union labor couldn't float this boat. That is unless you want everyone in this country to make less than minimum wage, except for yourself. That is what you want, isn't it? What if all your aluminun isn't any cheaper, are you still for it?