[Huskerscott]

The manufacturing sector has been decimated by unions who think it is okay to make $30 an hour. Nobody wants to pay for products with that cost structure, so outsourcing began. Remember when companies used to move factories to other parts of the US instead of overseas?

Reality is this, most manufacturing jobs should pay between $8 to $12, and skilled jobs $15 to $20 (maintenance and quality). Once we got beyond this pay scale, it was like pulling the pin on a grenade, you knew what was going to happen.

[buccaneer81]

Reality is this, most manufacturing jobs should pay between $8 to $12, and skilled jobs $15 to $20 (maintenance and quality)

I work in Big Pharma. If you had your way, you wouldn't be taking a single pharmaceutical product made in the US.

Manufacturing drugs isn't like manufacturing furniture or automobiles.

[digger48]

Reality is this, most manufacturing jobs should pay between $8 to $12, and skilled jobs $15 to $20 (maintenance and quality). Once we got beyond this pay scale, it was like pulling the pin on a grenade, you knew what was going to happen.

Heavy equipment operators are now at $42.00/hr here in central IN. Laborers over $30/hr.

however,, the unions grab around 1/3 of that for "benefits."

[Windflier]

Reality is this, most manufacturing jobs should pay between $8 to $12, and skilled jobs $15 to $20

I'm in the construction trades. Non-union, journeymen tradesmen were making $15 to $20 over twenty years ago.

Semi-skilled illegals in the trades now make the sort of wages you're talking about.

$30 an hour for a skilled tradesman is not out of line. I paid my skilled guys that wage for years, and the market fully supported it.

[algernonpj]

The manufacturing sector has been decimated by unions who think it is okay to make $30 an hour. Nobody wants to pay for products with that cost structure, so outsourcing began. Remember when companies used to move factories to other parts of the US instead of overseas?

Reality is this, most manufacturing jobs should pay between $8 to $12, and skilled jobs $15 to $20 (maintenance and quality). Once we got beyond this pay scale, it was like pulling the pin on a grenade, you knew what was going to happen.

By your reasoning manufacturers would still outsource at $8 through $20 per hour. You can buy workers in many places in the world for $1 per hour or less. And .. not have to worry about even minimal pesky safety regulations or minimal environmental issues.