This company is making money hand over fist and comes to the Milwaukee workers last year and demands concessions, 2 tier wage system and knocks health benefits to hell.
I am tired of the UNION bashing on FR. They helped create the middle class in this country. YEP, the same one that is disappearing at a fast rate. Don't forget that.
I'll grant there have been issues w/ some unions throughout history. But, when a company is making mega money, is it a bad thing that workers get a stake in it?
The workers are the first ones to take the hit if it goes sour. Let's knock CEO and CO. officer pay and benefits, too. I don't hear much around here about that idea.
I have owned several HD's. I also refuse to give my business to their dealers because of the way they treat their long standing customers. It is feed the yuppies at HD now.
LMAO! I hear that union garbage all the time. Unions are destroying America. Pull you head out of the sand!
I think Harley is trying to avoid the troubles that have overwhelmed the US auto industry by keeping their manufacturing costs from getting out of control. I'm sure that seems unpleasant to the workers but Harley almost went out of business back in the 80s until Reagan helped out.
Be careful what you wish for. Socialism in any form is a very bad thing!
If you believe strongly that those of us who did not contribute anything to the formation of this company, you should start one of your own. We can probably find a lot of union members who would be happy to share in your success also.
Semper Fi
An OPld Man
"I'll grant there have been issues w/ some unions throughout history. But, when a company is making mega money, is it a bad thing that workers get a stake in it? "
Buy HD shares like everyone else.
Do you think the employees would be willing to work for free in lean times?
My dad owned his own business. He made many many millions when things finally got good, but he had lean years when my enlisted Coastie paycheck was way more than he brought in. You think he union guys would go to work free? If they deserve a share a stake in the good, they should be willing to suck up the bad, and you know damnwell that would NEVER happen.
If workers want a stake in a company ~ they should buy stock in it.
I'm a retired Union member.
Sorry, those who create the company gets to make the rules.
Thems the breaks.
Harley's are overpriced luxuries. I don't have one and don't plan on getting one ever because of Union types picking nits. The shabby clothes, unshaven, baseball hat wearing union worker is a relic. I say take picture, write a paragraph, put it in the history books, and move on.
America knows all to well how to make cars and motorcycles. Time to let some developing third world hell hole improve their economy with those plants. We should be moving into something more challenging and profitable.
Agree with you on this issue. They forget how hard Hoffa worked to implement the union and how owners/management took advantage of workers before there were unions.
Not excusing excesses, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water on this issue!
..... But, when a company is making mega money, is it a bad thing that workers get a stake in it? .....
Yes. The workers have no stake in the profits of a company. If they want profits, they must have the faith to buy the stock and become owners.
Your question indicates a misunderstanding of business. Owners take risks and make profits. Workers take no risk and earn wages.
Chavez in Venezuela thinks like you and is nationalizing all the industry.
Interesting Irony that you undermine your own argument there!
The "Union Created Middle Class" was indeed an unsustainable socialist mirage.
Really? I'm personally tired of unions ruining the economy and supporting marxism and hard left candidates and using the power of government to screw over the middle class myself.
But, when a company is making mega money, is it a bad thing that workers get a stake in it?
They do. It's called their salary. And if the "workers" (Komrad) want a greater share than that they can take the money that they spend on beer, cigaretts and lotto tickets and buy stock.
The workers are the first ones to take the hit if it goes sour.
Then you'd think that they had an incentive to make the company successful, not try to loot it.
--I am tired of the UNION bashing on FR. They helped create the middle class in this country. YEP, the same one that is disappearing at a fast rate. Don't forget that.--
The middle class is strong. The unions ate the hand that fed them.
--I'll grant there have been issues w/ some unions throughout history. But, when a company is making mega money, is it a bad thing that workers get a stake in it?--
They are union workers. I am sure that they were already getting their 'share'. Besides, if it wasn't for the government, they would be working at the local pizza hut instead of at HD.
You are correct. There is no reason other than corporate corruption that executive pay and benefits should remain untouched while workers are asked to take concessions.
Forgetting the labor issues, it is a bad business move to do so. The company will never get back what it thinks it will gain. A happy workforce is a productive workforce.
I recommend you get a copy of Basic Economics by Dr. Thomas Sowell. Read it. It's one of the best books on the subject I have ever read, and that's after taking economics in college. It will help you understand why what you wrote isn't true.
I don't mean to bash you or anything, and I'm sure that you're completely sincere in your belief. But with the probable exception of workplace safety, unions have done little that normal economic pressure wouldn't have accomplished. And their overall effect on the economy is a very clear negative.
In our day, the primary goal and effect of union labor is that workers are paid more than their work is worth. In a union shop, it's harder to fire those who need firing. It's nearly impossible to reward better work with better pay. Union goons intimidate, harass, threaten and even assault those who don't obey their wishes.
I work very near a number of union shops, though my current employer is not, thank heaven! I know very well how unions work and what they want.
We used to say that if your company has a union, you probably deserve one. You've probably treated your employees so badly, and jerked them around so much that they resorted to a union. If employees are treated well and paid what their work is worth they won't resort to a union.
It's a simple lesson many businesses fail to learn.