Nation's last major shirt plant closes, production moves overseas

AP via Boston.com ^ | 10/18/2002 15:49 | David Sharp

[ozone1]

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) A last-ditch attempt to save the nation's last major shirt manufacturing plant ran out of steam as sewing machines came to a halt Friday at the plant whose shirts were made world-famous by the man-with-an-eyepatch logo.

C.F. Hathaway, which has been making shirts in Maine for 165 years, will go the way of Arrow and Van Heusen, once strong competitors whose shirts are now being made overseas.

[Joe Hadenuf]

These major companies and corporations have zero allegiance to our country or the American people. Zero......

[ozone1]

"AUGUSTA — In a stunning announcement, Sanmina-SCI said Thursday it will close its plant here and lay off about 440 people at the end of September.

The closing brings economic uncertainty to employees and their families, significant tax implications for the city, and a serious blow to efforts to draw high-tech jobs to central Maine. "

Crowe Rope with 100 employees also went belly up.

[ozone1]

We are turning into a tourist economy in the other Maine (North of Portland), but that's how the wacko's want it.

I'd almost rather see a Casino up north.

[SheLion]

I'd almost rather see a Casino up north.

ON ONE Condition! We get that interstate from Houlton on up here. This is rediculous! The interstate ends at Houlton. Nothing but a two-lane windy road for over an hour to get up here. I WANT THAT INTERSTATE!

[sinkspur]

These major companies and corporations have zero allegiance to our country or the American people.

Nonsense. Should they lose money by selling shirts that nobody buys because they're too expensive?

Companies are in business to make money for their owners and shareholders. Period.

You want to "do something for the American people"? Open your own business and compete.

[ozone1]

Through a national park? The wackos would have a fit.

Actually Presque Isle or Limington would be a good spot.

[JennysCool]

The Hathaway factory's demise became inevitable after it failed to win a key contract to make shirts for the Air Force

Hmm...I wonder which country got the Air Force contract?

[ozone1]

Unfortunately up here the business climate is such, they don't want you to make money. Maine collects more in cigarette tax than corporate income tax.

[philetus]

I believe taxing the companies out of America is being done deliberatly.
America is the main holdout to world government.
As soon as The United States falls, the rest will toe the line.
Seems most people would rather switch than fight.

[SheLion]

Actually Presque Isle or Limington would be a good spot.

Nah. They need to run it right up to Madawaska and the border up there.

But I would SETTLE for Presque Isle! `whew!

[IronJack]

Was the plant unionized? If so, I have little sympathy for the unemployed. Otherwise, this is a chilling vision of America's future if we don't do something about it.

[ozone1]

The "world government" has a lot to do with it. The 3rd world countries will do the manufacturing, the unions will go in there and take control and maybe 50 years from now things will reverse themselves.

[Constitution Day]

Hmm...I wonder which country got the Air Force contract?

Excellent question.

[ozone1]

Unionized? yep.

At least 7,000 unionized manufacturing jobs were lost last year in Maine. Did them a lot of good. A week per year worked severance and some retraining for a job that doesn't exist up here.

[SheLion]

Unfortunately up here the business climate is such, they don't want you to make money. Maine collects more in cigarette tax than corporate income tax.

The state of Maine has completed a tally of the revenue they expect this year. And boy, are they ever shocked at something in the forecast. Not surprisingly personal income taxes will bring in the most revenue, over a billion dollars. Second place goes to sales taxes, expected to bring in another $840 million dollars.

What is a surprise is what's coming in at third place, revenues from cigarette taxes. Shazzaam! Yes, my friends, the taxes that Maine will collect from smokers will be the third-largest revenue generator. The state is going to take in $95 million dollars worth of loot from smokers.

That puts tobacco tax revenues ahead of corporate income taxes - they're expected to bring in a mere $90 million. And cigarette taxes don't include Maine's portion of the tobacco settlement, estimated to bring in another $50 million a year.

Revenues from productivity, the work of corporations will now be surpassed by revenues from those sitting around sucking smoke. The state's economist, Laurie Lachance, was in shock. She said, "To think that our taxes on packages of cigarettes have passed the taxes on our corporations. It sounds like that can't be right, but it is. It's hard to fathom that cigarettes generate more revenue for the state, than corporations generate for the state."

Hey Laurie, what's really hard to fathom is that you, and so many others, don't even realize that the chief smoking addicts in the country are you guys in state government. Yeah, you're addicted to the money!

[nanny]

[Hmm...I wonder which country got the Air Force contract? ]

Just say you said 'country' - Hmmmmmmmmmm Red China?

[UnBlinkingEye]

FITZ! Then why the 'ell is the Government telling us our economy is so good? We hear all the time about closings and lay-offs. Now! How can that make for a good economy?!

Pardon me FITZ.

The Government has no apparent interest in truth, they are mainly interested in maintaining their own jobs, both bureaucrats and elected officials. Particularly elected officials who are subservient to special interest contribitors.

[IronJack]

Unionized? yep.

Then they deserved everything they got. Hard to make a profit selling shirts when you're paying some slob $40 an hour to not show up for work.

[Drango]

You want to "do something for the American people"? Open your own business and compete.

It is amazing the number of posters on FreeRepublic you seem to think the business of businees, is to give it away.

Watch, someone will post that it sould be sold at a "fair" price.

[Kevin Curry]

The Hathaway factory's demise became inevitable after it failed to win a key contract to make shirts for the Air Force, . . .

What happened? Didn't Hathaway have a woman or a member of an official minority group among its owners? Couldn't it have found one? A goverment contract is a lead pipe cinch for politically correct companies.