[Erik Latranyi]

If you are in the industry, you then understand that a large number of manufacturers are deferring the investment in automation and simply going for the cheap labor overseas.

Yes, I do understand that companies like Black & Decker are simply going for cheap labor overseas instead of modernizing their factories here. That is called mis-management. It cannot be stopped with gov't regulation or tarriffs. Companies like this are doomed.

BTW, there are no "unskilled jobs" anymore, at least not in a well-run plant.

Absolutely not true!!!!!! Obviously, you do not go into many manufacturing plants. There are thousands of jobs done by people like filling bottles of perfume by hand, or packing bottles into boxes by hand. These companies are doomed to move overseas if they do not automate.

[ninenot]

Actually, Erik, I spend a lot of time in plants for someone who doesn't work in one.

But my "territory" is metalbenders--the folks who ARE automated, and who HAVE multi-tasking sophisticated workforces, and who are STILL moving overseas.

No perfume factories for me. That's East Coast hoity-toity stuff.