Posted on 11/08/2004 12:39:02 PM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
WAXAHACHIE, Texas - The planned closing of a North Texas refrigeration plant threatens to eliminate more than 500 jobs, with most of the work expected to be transferred to Mexico.
The head of a union representing Tyler Refrigeration Co. employees says the plant south of Dallas will close next year.
The plant is to begin reducing operations after the first of the year, with the job cuts expected to begin in the latter half of 2005, union officials told the Waxahachie Daily Light for a story in Sunday's editions.
City officials were informed of the decision to close the plant by company representatives. The plant makes commercial refrigeration units and coolers.
Most of the plant's work was expected to be transferred to Mexico when the closure is effective, officials said.
Union president David Clemons said he was informed the plant would close by the end of 2005. Contract negotiations with the company were not scheduled until February.
Tyler Refrigeration, which is based in Niles, Mich., referred questions to an official with Carrier Corp., which owns the plant. The company did not return a telephone call early Sunday from The Associated Press.
Union members gathered at their local's headquarters after the company announced the closure at the plant that would affect 532 employees, including hourly and salaried staff. The company had recently hired 154 new workers
"The head of a union representing Tyler Refrigeration Co. employees says the plant south of Dallas will close next year."
My guess is that he will not lose his job...
Vote union yes! ( NOTE SEVERE SARCASM...)
Texas right-to-work laws protect both employees and employers
Hurlie Collier
The Houston Business Journal
August 27, 2004Texas is one of only 22 states with "right-to-work" provisions, but what exactly does that mean to employers and employees?
Right-to-work laws are state statutes that ban the practice of requiring union membership or financial support to a union as a condition of employment, and provide employees with individual bargaining rights.
These laws establish the legal right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.
It appears that their collective bargaining was not sufficient to convince the owners to keep the plant open -
In all probability there was simply no economic way of that happening.
... unless of course you want government handouts to big business to bribe them into staying...
I used to work in the air conditioning and regrigeration industry myself, 15 or so years ago. I doubt that their wages were much of an issue, despite being represented by a union. In these smaller industries, it just isn't the same as the UAW. Nevertheless, the cost of health care benefits probably contributed to the decision, and that would probably be the same regardless whether or not the plant was unionized.
And of course, other factors contributed as well: federal health, environmental and safety regulations combine to make our domestic industries less economical than across the border.
I do not advocate that these industries be "protected". However, I do believe that we need to utilize relatively low tariff rates to "level the playing field" in compensation for the federal regulations imposed upon our domestic industries.
"However, I do believe that we need to utilize relatively low tariff rates to "level the playing field" in compensation for the federal regulations imposed upon our domestic industries."
So the solution is to impose a tax on the consumer - artifically inflate the selling price of imported goods so that American manufacturing can compete ?
How about using that income and simply pay American workers to do nothing ? It would save having to put up with Federal regulations, save money on oversight, less pollution ...
Yes, but will the little light stay on after they close the door?
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