GE cutting 525 workers at Bloomington plant

Business First of Louisville ^ | July 30, 2004

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

General Electric Co. plans to lay off about 525 employees at its refrigerator plant in Bloomington, Ind., and move work to a plant in Celaya, Mexico, the company announced Friday.

The plant is part of the company's Louisville-based GE Consumer & Industrial unit, which manufactures appliances, lighting and various other products for the worldwide conglomerate.

The union that represents workers at the plant had said last week that about 600 layoffs were expected. The workers, who make one of GE's higher-end, side-by-side models of refrigerator, are expected to be laid off by March.

"After the elimination of these jobs, GE will continue to employ more than 1,100 workers at its Bloomington facility," Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan said in a news release. "We are hopeful that we can continue to work with GE to address their business needs in order to give Indiana a fighting chance at protecting their workers' livelihoods and ensure the company's future presence in Bloomington."

GE also cut about 1,400 jobs in 1999 when it moved work to a plant in Mexico.

[So Cal Rocket]

Why aren't you posting these articles, Willie?

Home Depot bringing data center, 500 jobs to Austin
Freightliner's 700 additional jobs
Jobs doubled in steel mill plan
M'boro center to add 400 new jobs
Port deal OK'd for 3,000 hires

[Boxsford]

Willie, not to start an argument or anything but is it possible that unions are a chunk of the problem with manufacturers leaving this country? They can be incredibly demanding in a variety of ways.

[SunnySide]

Good, now another portion of our low skilled populace can do what Americans should do, improve themselves beyond workin' at the factory mounting doors on a refrigerator. I can see the job interview now

-So Mr. Laid off what did you do in your last job?

--Well I put them thar doors on them iceboxes.

-Next applicant please.



Actually most of those fridge door hangers will go work at Home Depot where they'll use their expertise hanging other kinds of doors. Seriously. There is not much left in the way of choices for these factory workers no matter how retrained they get. Hard to teach old dogs (excuse the reference) new tricks and most have lost their ambition.

[SunnySide]

but is it possible that unions are a chunk of the problem with manufacturers leaving this country? They can be incredibly demanding in a variety of ways.



yes they unrealistically out priced their workers in the current state of global competition.

[lelio]

Good, now another portion of our low skilled populace can do what Americans should do, improve themselves beyond workin' at the factory mounting doors

Whenever I hear an argument like that on FR where someone says "Good, answering phones is for monkeys, now they can move on to designing an AI system!" I'm reminded of how the liberals say "Good, the gasoline powered car is killing the environment, its better to ride the bus!"

They both stem from the same root: the desire to impose their will on other people. They think that you're getting too much for a job. They think you shouldn't have a car, that its evil. They think you should have to compete with the 3rd world for a job. Etc.

[Boxsford]

You totally miss the point of WG's postings.

Please spare freepers the request for WG follow-ups. Don't encourage him.

[Willie Green]

but is it possible that unions are a chunk of the problem with manufacturers leaving this country? They can be incredibly demanding in a variety of ways.

That's an antiquated paradigm that's perpetuated by politicians and the media. The truth is that, over the last 3 decades, organized labor representation of our blue collar workforce has declined to less than 16%. In contrast, Union representation of government employees, teachers, etc. has increased to over 40% during the same period.

In today's global economy, domestic manufacturing is largely shackled by the health, safety and environmental regulations imposed on them by government. Coupled with trade policies that facilitate importation of goods that are not subject to similar constraints, the government is essentially guilty of waging a tyrannous trade war against our own manufacturing sector.

[lelio]

GE also cut about 1,400 jobs in 1999 when it moved work to a plant in Mexico.

Indiana's hurting as Thomson (aka RCA) did the same thing. There wasn't much else in Marion, IN but Thomson. The temporary governor (the previous one died of a heart attack) has a tough road ahead of him.

[SunnySide]

"trade policies that facilitate importation of goods that are not subject to similar constraints, the government is essentially guilty of waging a tyrannous trade war against our own manufacturing sector"

This is true as well. I am thankful I'm not on some task force trying to iron out and accomodate all concerned groups, state side and foreign. What a mess.

[Willie Green]

Jobs doubled in steel mill plan

Interesting article.
Did you read it?
Here's an excerpt:

Another reason for choosing Louisville was the large concentration of steel consumers. With five auto plants within 150 miles of Louisville, General Electric's Appliance Park campus and dozens of steel-processing companies in the area, Botsford said the mill should have plenty of work.

I wonder if Mr. Botsford still thinks there's gonna be plenty of work now that GE is pulling out and moving to Mexico.

[RFT1]

When I see people post this, I just think, in about a few years, on how this Socially Darwinistic attitude will have pushed the US into being a Social Democracy, though a combination of outsourcing of jobs and the importation of cheap labor. Imagine the uS having a German Style social democracy with the social problems that Brazil has, that is what the logical end result of the current nonsense will be.

[RFT1]

There is a flaw in your plan. See, in the US the peons vote, and when there are more and more peons displaced, along with more imported peons who are often uneducated and easily minipulated, what do you think the end result will be?

[damncat]

[ They can be incredibly demanding in a variety of ways]

You mean unscrupulous?

[sarcasm]

There is a flaw in your plan. See, in the US the peons vote, and when there are more and more peons displaced, along with more imported peons who are often uneducated and easily minipulated, what do you think the end result will be?

Higher taxes, of course. Have you noticed that the "free traders" are now openly advocating that the U.S. should have a national health insurance program - to alleviate the fear of so-called free trade.

[Doe Eyes]

Interesting to note the reaction. Had GE promoted Gay Rights, we would be besieged with boycott GE calls. Move American jobs to Mexico, and all you get is a yawn.