aint this a kicker

rodbolt · Mar 6, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

hahaha yep back in the early 80's Iwas purchasing a set of micrometers. the decision came down tobrown and sharpe or mitchytoyo. I settled on the mitchytoyo, when I got them the ones onder 3-4 were manufactured in brazil. global economics

still dont helpthe guy feeding a family in areknsaw on 7.50 an hour

Andrew Leigh · Mar 6, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

PJC "Why are employees given to be more motivated to leave than arrive to your business? I do believe that the soft skills that HR folks, and managers are trained in have the intention of creating behavior in employees to desire being on the job, and contributing to a companies success." Hey PJC 100% correct. I am busy putting a team together that will inspire and lead rather than "manage". In the 40 year history of this business we have never had an HR department. I have just recruited a HR person. To change culture takes time, the first part of the change is to get managers to work on time, or kick their A$$es so hard that they get nose bleeds. Culture comes from the top, you can't get people to do what you are not prepared to do. Cheers Andrew

NYMINUTE · Mar 7, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by KenImpZoom: If it the loss of jobs was so bad, why isnt the unemployment increasing? A news program showed the effect of plant closings in one small town. They showed all the negative things, then at the very end it showed that many of the workers found jobs that were better than the plant job. Ken

Maybe the infux of Mexicans to the US increases the population? Don't see many going the other way. I also wonder if the numbers have not massaged to improve the administrations legacy.

demsvmejm · Mar 27, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by NYMINUTE: Maybe the infux of Mexicans to the US increases the population? Don't see many going the other way. I also wonder if the numbers have not massaged to improve the administrations legacy.

With the indisputable habit of the administration for misleading the American people, I think it is safe to say that is exactly what is happening. And just think back to shortly after the ’04 elections when the revised report showed the economy wasn’t growing as robustly as previously (before the election) reported. I am curious to see how a neutral review of the "W" adminsitration will cast the legacy, or more probably the shame.

Realgun · Mar 27, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Honestly it all comes down to this. You have 1000 dollrs and need a 5Hp kicker. There are 2 side by side. A Wata Wata and a Bora Bora. The Wata Wata is $795. The Bora Bora is $895. What are you gonna buy? I dont care about where its made or by whom I just want the $795. Then I have more money to spend on other things. Now put the names Merc and Honda on them. Now what are you gonna buy? Hard decision. 99% of people will probably buy the cheaper motor no matter what. I was a tech for a large firm before the shift to India.

I was talking to a guy who buys stuff for a pet store. I asked him why we don't make the dog dishes here and he told me per piece the price was to high. He was talking 50 to 100 thousand pieces. But he can order the same thing in China and have it shipped to NY in a container for half the price.

Marc J. · Mar 28, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

I wish I could see the bright side in my manufacturing job going to China. In an area already hit hard with job losses, I don't see how service jobs can be created. I suspect I would empty my 401K to save my home and credit and hope that I die before I become unable to work, because I'll have no savings and S.S. will be bankrupt or will require me to be 75 or so to collect.

ae708 · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Sadly we the workers had a big hand in this too, not only the CEO's, etc. We have to make 30, 40, 50 bucks an hour, have insurance, paid maternity leave, day care provided for kids while we work,etc. Man, no wonder the factories are moving. I hate to see it happening but we ourselves have to share in some of the blame. It's not all management's fault.

Tinkerer · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by ae708: Sadly we the workers had a big hand in this too, not only the CEO's, etc. We have to make 30, 40, 50 bucks an hour, have insurance, paid maternity leave, day care provided for kids while we work,etc. Man, no wonder the factories are moving. I hate to see it happening but we ourselves have to share in some of the blame. It's not all management's fault.

If you were a minimum wage worker with no benefits do you think management would keep your job onshore instead of exporting it to somewhere where it costs a lot less? Capital always goes to where profit is greatest, which usually means where labour costs are the lowest, which in turn usually means where workers are exploited the most. A lot of Chinese workers don't have holidays or workers' compensation. A lot of them never get paid for months or even years of work in sweatshops they've joined to try to support families back in the provinces. Communism in its current Chinese form is what Western capitalism would love to have, but never achieved even 200 years ago in its greatest laissez-faire form. In China capitalists control the state through the army and the communist party and the state controls the workers and the workers get what they're given in the workers' paradise. Console yourself with the the thought that in 50 or so years there will be a Chinese internet board where workers will be complaining about how they used to produce good quality items but now their jobs have been exported to Ethiopia or Krygistan or somewhere else that doesn't rate currently.

Barlow · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Up until 3yrs ago I lived 20 minutes south east of Mercurys Fond Du Lac plant. At that time they were running all sorts of job ads. I'm not blaming anything in particular nor am I pointing the finger at any ONE specific thing but, one that stands out in that area's general attitude towards work is that its "not for me" .. The area has a labor pool that is plenty big enough but, the younger generations have little intrest in factory assembly posittions along with the difficulty Mercury themself has structured around their hiring processes and requirements.. The "I want it all and I want it all, NOW!" easy money mindset is still alive and strong.. on both sides of the fence

Tinkerer · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by Barlow: I'm not blaming anything in particular nor am I pointing the finger at any ONE specific thing but, one that stands out in that area's general attitude towards work is that its "not for me" .. The area has a labor pool that is plenty big enough but, the younger generations have little intrest in factory assembly posittions along with the difficulty Mercury themself has structured around their hiring processes and requirements.. The "I want it all and I want it all, NOW!" easy money mindset is still alive and strong.. on both sides of the fence

If there's one thing I'd point the blame at it's the absurdly selfish attitudes presented by things like Nike ads which condemned "losers" and "nobody remembers who comes second" etc and which deride people who can't afford the "good" brands. The end result is that if you ain't driving a new Beemer by age 23 and generally living the high life then you don't count, even if you're just some dumbarse whose sole "skill" is being 8 feet tall with incredibly long arms which, despite your largely vacant brain vault, enables you to put a ball into a hoop with monotonous regularity even if you have trouble with the three R's and tying up your shoelaces. If the ads and TV shows and the attitudes they reflect which kids and their parents pick up were to extol the virtues of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, at all levels, there might be different and more productive attitudes. But as long as I see incompetent CEO's getting obscene amounts of money to abandon companies where they've destroyed the value of shares I've bought with money I earned the hard way, and as long as my kids are going to be screwed working in part-time jobs with no future where they get no more shifts once they're entitled to adult pay, I'm going to teach my kids to get what they can before they get got. Not what I want, and not the way I grew up, but that's the way it is.

dogsdad · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Today's CEO and Board of Directors can see nothing but dollar signs, and there is NOTHING that they won't do, no line of decency that they won't cross, to attain them. Ethics are a thing of the past. Kinda like yesterday's union boss. Profits are fine and dandy, but the recipe requires a pinch of integrity. And that is why our dough don't rise anymore. -dd-

Barlow · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by gonfishn: Somethings wrong when raw materials can be shipped overseas,manufactured,shipped back and still be less than what the American worker can make it for.. Thanks to our Goverment China now has entered the Textile Industry..They say within five years that alot of plants here will go under.. Fifty cents an hour is alot of money in some parts of the world..Imo our Gov. Should put a high tax on those who move to other countrys. Our banks are even doing it..Huntington Bank for instance..If you need help you call a tool free number..An American won't answer but but someone in India will.. Half the time you can't understand their broken English and end up calling your local bank in the morning to get the straight scoop. If ya ask me I say the Good ole USA is going to H### in a handbag if they don't get it right soon.. Don't matter which side of the fence you are on...No one is getting the job done when it comes to takn care of our own first..

....

If ya ask me I say the Good ole USA is going to H### in a handbag if they don't get it right soon.. Don't matter which side of the fence you are on...No one is getting the job done when it comes to takn care of our own first..

right on

DJ · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Today's CEO and Board of Directors can see nothing but dollar signs, and there is NOTHING that they won't do, no line of decency that they won't cross, to attain them. Ethics are a thing of the past. Kinda like yesterday's union boss.

That's a VERY big statement and far too much of a stretch. There are numerous CEO's today that take NO salary. One cannot blame them for taking stock, since its undervalued until the comapany turns around. No performance, no benefit. A concept lost on todays American. Let's face it, we Americans don't like American products assembled by Americans. I'm sure there are those that are overjoyed that the Chinese will be assembling their Mercury's. Let's see, @ $.50 per hour. Why can't a buy a 90 hp for $2,000.00 then?

Barlow · Mar 29, 2005

Re: aint this a kicker

Originally posted by DJ: .... Let's see, @ $.50 per hour. Why can't a buy a 90 hp for $2,000.00 then? [/QB]

yep - would like to see the cost reports on this one DJ

aint this a kicker

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