Agreed, but do you really want to live in China?
Posted on 01/20/2011 5:03:34 AM PST by NRG1973
The layoffs have begun at the Electrolux plant here as the plant begins the process of closing down by this spring.
United Autoworkers Local 442 Vice President Jerry Kloberdanz said the company posted the first stage of layoffs Jan. 7.
Kloberdanz said there are about 500 people working at the plant.
Electrolux, which makes washing machines and dryers, announced in 2009 that it would close the Webster City plant by the end of March.
(Excerpt) Read more at omaha.com ...
Our multi-global company’s hq sent us some union electricians, from a becalmed, unionized plant to work alongside for a week, and observe and learn (and teach?). By Tuesday morning, they were whining that journeyman electricians shouldn’t even be asked to do apprentice work; by Wednesday morning they were checking out of their hotel rooms and buying plane tickets back home.
I never got electrolux’s move into the appliance business recently myself.
They were a staple of HIGH END, dependable Vaccuums. IN the last few years they started trying to sell appliances, at least here in the states.
There vaccuums were supurb, they would literally last you a lifetime, can’t say anything about their appliances.
would raise gas prices to $6+ per gallon.
Hey, you're the one who said "everything from everywhere", not me.
I don’t know the specifics of this case, but you cannot just blame union at every juncture. “Free Trade” often kills jobs even in plants that are profitable because why pay a person $15 plus bennies when I can pay someone $2 an hour with no bennies??
Unions can definitely kill a plant, but they aren’t always the reason why jobs move.
“Free Trade” is probably one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the American Experiment. “Fair Trade” makes sense, “free trade” where third world countries get open access to markets without having to do jack to earn it is a complete and total scam.. it winds up propping up dictators, promoting abuse, and killing economies.
Free Trade among equals is fine, but that is not what is going on today at all.
We need to realize that the end game of globalized production is the worldwide equalization of standards of living. We in the US are doomed to declining wages, particularly in manufacturing. Services will take longer, but given our unrestricted illegal immigration, and the non necessity of the english language, service sector wages are, and will continue to decline as well.
The left sees this as good and equitable, because they are citizens of the world who dislike this country.
A nationalist candidate would do well.
I’m most familure with tradesmen. Construction, mechanics, one/two truck guys, guys working out of rented bays. Pretty much it is all by the job for those that I know. Or it is by the foot, or a fixed price/win some/lose some.
Almost everyone I know will work either way. Plus or minus, it comes out about the same. I have, and have done work where it’s say, here’s a hundred, get it done in a hour, or half a day, just get it done.
Many posts should include the IMHO, especially yours. People are on to your lame attempts to always confuse and dissemble rather than address anything relevant.
Well of course. You had to move a ladder. That belongs to the laborer union. No laborer, no move ladder, no install by the iron worker/millwright union.
I suppose then, that China’s #1 export is freedom?
Then explain how Germany is the largest exporter in the world with a higher percentage of its people involved in manufacturing where even village bartenders are unionized.
Mine was not a comment about one brand's vacuums per se (and my Aunt also has a 40+ year old Electrolux which works but is too heavy for her to use), but rather how most items made back then are superior in fit and durability to the plastic crap from China. I have bought 6 different vacuums in the past 20 years. Sharp. Hoover, Dyson. All crap.
If by "it" you mean killing imports and exports.
And the revenue would be exactly the same as America’s current tax confiscation -
Wow, don't know much about the Laffer Curve or human behavior, do you?
Agreed, but do you really want to live in China?
“Total lack of productivity would be a kind way to put it. No, labor is not the reason they move.........what could the reason possibly be???”
But I don’t think there is any possibility that the labor cost per unit for auto assembly in the US and Mexico would ever come out the same. US auto workers total compensation exceeds $40, or more, with all benefits for active and retired workers. I doubt total compensation in Mexico has yet exceeded $5.00.
Here’s an interesting article.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11804
New Mexican auto workers to be paid about $2.00 per hour, experienced at $4.50.
Yeah I guess Americans who export are traitors too. They'd be SOL. So be it.
Remodeling, usually high end. It’s pretty bullet proof, but requires attention to detail, a bit of psychological hand-holding, some aesthetic input in a tactful way, and then integration with less communicative/political skilled subs that once they understand what you want done are good skilled guys with on the job taste that rivals any la-de-da limpwrist architect. If it is busy, I hire. If not it’s me and some help. I’ll even sub out. Some cash is better than no cash. On base walk is better than on the bench.
Anyway, American labor rates have been high since the Revolution. There was a reason that American sailors didn’t want to work British ships. We had high labor rates because we had a free, unfettered, fast return on investment economy in which high labor rates were more than compensated by quick high rates of return. Now of course it takes over a year of local permits to the well paid, well pensioned, easy job permit government extorters.
The trend on is high labor costs, slow return on investment.
So, money goes were it is loved and wanted the most.
We are like a nation of trust funders. Too proud.
This slo-mo meltdown is going to take another generation. Young people are not having kids, not going to be able to buy the houses that were built, if they can they will not be able to afford to maintain them. Local governments are already raising local taxes to keep their government employees on. Like a skin doctor seeing odd freckles I see semi-abandoned houses and commercial space everywhere. I know well a owner who has gone two years before the town (Hyannis, Ma) to tear down old buildings and put up about half as much new. The town employees are dragging their feet because they have nothing else to do and want to look busy.
This is the new America.
Anyway, I hope to be retired by the end of this year on my boat in the Bahamas until I get the big familial chest cramps.
Of course it's about globalism and "free trade" and not unions. But many here hate unions more than they love their fellow countrymen.
Hey, how about making up a new word?
excerpted portion = excerption
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.