[GOP_1900AD]

This is a virtual brainstorming thread to discuss what you would do if your employer was bought out by a "firm" from Communist Red China. Please join in and share your ideas! :-)

[arfan]

I've been down this road before with an automotive company with German connections.

It really depends where you are in the organization of the company and your location in the corporate food chain:

- If you work at a production function (a Maytag office that builds product), you are doomed. If you work at a technical function (a job where the products are designed or serviced) you have a chance.

- If you are an executive, you're screwed. They will bring in their 'buds' to run the show, and you will be gone.

- If you are a middle manager, you would need to start learning Chinese, and also realize that in the best case scenario that you will be stuck in a dead end job. Americans are allowed to advance only so far up the food chain. If your standard of living is OK, and you're paying the mortgage, saving for college, and putting food on the table, then ride the gravy train.

- If you are a lower level manager, then not much changes for you. Unless your job is in a functional area that probably will have overlap with Haier (e.g. Payroll department manager)

- If you are a worker bee, ditto the above.

- If you are an IT worker, then why the he!! haven't you gotten out of IT yet?

- If you are a contract employee, you have reason to worry. Haier will be needed to show ROI, and contract people are always the first to go.

- If you are the janitor, then spend a little extra time when you empty the trash near the copy machine, the fax, and in HR to "read the tea leaves"

- If you are a corporate attorney, you have earned your fate.

That being said, Haier is buying market share only. They don't give a d@mn about Maytag's products or technology, regardless of what your bosses are telling you. They want your markets, but will need domestic people in key areas to support that increased market share.

The patriotic thing to do might be to stick it out, and wait for the war (if you are like me and believe that it is inevitable). Once we are at war with China, the US will need people left who know how to do what Maytag does.

[baltodog]

I'd patiently wait for Wal-Mart to come in, undercut it's prices, and shut them down, thus ensuring a future at Wal-Mart.

[HitmanLV]

I'd quit. But then again, I enjoy quitting.

[Buck72]

"I for one, welcome our new Chinese overlords."

[b4its2late]

Start bringing my lunch to work so I wouldn't become again hungry 1/2 hour after eating it.......

[b4its2late]

Start bringing my lunch to work so I wouldn't become hungry again 1/2 hour after eating it.......

[A. Pole]

Learn Chinese?

[Doctor Stochastic]

1) Ask for a raise.

2) Ask for a raise.

3) Ask for a raise.

[Iscool]

In my area, a company that builds bearings for the rotors on military helicopters was sold to the Red Communist Chinese 5 or 6 years ago...Wages and benefits dropped of course...Lot of funny speaking new employees...Many employees no longer had a job...

I wouldn't want to be a helicopter pilot in the near future...

I work for a Belgiunese company that bought out it's American owners about 20 years ago...They have plants world wide and the new law is all new investments go to China... Since I'm too old, lazy and apathetic to move to another area, I'll just go on welfare while there is any tax money to support me... Oh, there isn't any tax money...Guess I'll just resort to larceny like the millions of others will have to resort to...

[jrp]

cd /
rm -r *

[Doohickey]

Speaking of which, has anyone seen the Lenovo commercials running on TV? Not only are they keeping the ThinkPad model name to fool people into thinking they're IBM, but the laptop in the commercial still has an IBM logo.

[maui_hawaii]

Depends on the firm.

There are quite a few companies (especially shipping ones) that are owned by Chinese interests that employ all kinds of Americans.

Just depends on who you are, what you do, and the same regarding the company.

[newzjunkey]

Depends on your job but I'd seriously consider finding other employment well before there's a glut in your area of fellow co-workers looking to land on *their* feet. For Maytag, they'll probably move operations out to be competitive (THANKS, UNION ASSES!). Stop buying Chinese-made crap at Walmart. In fact stop buying at China-err-Walmart altogether. Well, except when new music and dvds come out so you can cheat the repulsive RIAA and MPAA (Hollywood) out of their bloated margins by using Walmart's discount power to fight back. If you're at Unocal, your prices are too high (*not* competitive) at the pump anyway, you consumer's-wallet-raping toads!

Also, don't by Cosco products (not Price/Cost Co., it's COSCO... one word) which is an arm of the ChiCom military.

It's bad enough so many products are made in China now, so why support their Gov't / Military - owned corporations when you can buy American-made-in-China (or Mexico) goods instead and keep profits here at home?

[Iwo Jima]

I'd keep my eyes & ears open and be a patriot.

Patriots know what to do.

[swarthyguy]

Irony. Unocal was dealing with the Talib in trying to set up the pipeline from the Stans thru Afghania to the Baluchistani coast.

Now China gets Unocal with nary a peep in the USA.

Dunno what to say anymore, except that the US was heavily investing and working with the Nazis preWW2. Now it's the Fascist Chinese. C'est plus ca change......

Chinese eyes must be smiling at this.