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Tourer
Posts: 394
Tucson, AZ | Maybe this is one reason why the big three are in trouble. Newscast starts after commercial;
http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/10235271/index.html |
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Tourer
Posts: 506
Woodland Hills, CA | And they want the feds (meaning US) to bail them out! Not a pretty picture...... |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 39
Brighton, MI | Yea, used to work there...... then again..collect a check, for three long years, that was nothing compaired to what eles gose on there. Had to quit on the account I felt like a crimminal for wanting to work for my paycheck and being told I was not making any friends here and making them look bad. If people only knew how much and what went on on a daily accurance they would never support them. ( by the way.. I still buy american ) |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 39
Brighton, MI | Yea, used to work there...... then again..collect a check, for three long years, that was nothing compaired to what eles gose on there. Had to quit on the account I felt like a crimminal for wanting to work for my paycheck and being told I was not making any friends here and making them look bad. If people only knew how much and what went on on a daily accurance they would never support them. ( by the way.. I still buy american )  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
| Are those who indescriminately buy cars and other goods that are not from American companies, those who buy clothes for their kids and grandchildren made in Viet Nam, and buy Chinese made toys full of lead paint.
Very few workers in the Big Three have the opportunity to leave the plants for more than 1/2 hour today due to turnstyles at most entrances. And yes, I know...I put parts in all the major companies.
If we all were to tell Japan, China, Viet Nam, and any other third world country to shove the garbage they make up their @$$, and insist on American made products, this county would be a heck of a lot better off.
And if you think this type of thing doesn't go on at Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, or even Honda I'm here to tell you it does.
Thanks and I'll get off my high horse now.
www.madeinusaforever.com
www.buyamerican.com
Top Ten Reasons to Buy USA Made Products:
10) Foreign labor standards allow unsafe worker conditions in many countries. When you buy American you support not only American manufacturers but also American workers, safe working conditions, and child labor laws.
9) Jobs shipped abroad almost never return. When you buy goods made in the USA, you help keep the American economy growing.
8) US manufacturing processes are much cleaner for the environment than many other countries; many brands sold here are produced in countries using dangerous, heavily polluting processes. When you purchase American-made product, you know that you're helping to keep the world a little cleaner for your children.
7) Many countries have no minimum wage restrictions, or the minimum wage is outrageously low. When you choose products made in the USA, you contribute to the payment of an honest day's wages for an honest day's work.
6) The growing lack of USA ability to manufacture many products is strategically unsound. When you seek out American-made goods, you foster American independence.
5) The huge US trade deficit leads to massive, unsustainable borrowing from other countries. Debt isn't good for you and it isn't good for America.
4) Foreign product safety standards are low. For example, poisonous levels of lead are in tens of millions of toys shipped to the USA. When you buy toys and other goods made in the USA, you can be confident that American consumer protection laws and safety standards are in place to protect your family.
3) Lack of minimum wage, worker safety, or enviromental pollution controls in many countries undermines the concept of "fair and free trade". No Western nation can ultimately compete on price with a country willing to massively exploit and pollute its own people. When you buy only American-made products, you insist on a higher standard.
2) Factories and money are shifting to countries not friendly to the USA or democracy. When you avoid imported goods in favor of American-made items, you help ensure that the United States doesn't find its access to vital goods impacted by political conflict.
1) As the US manufacturing ability fades, future generations of US citizens will be unable to find relevant jobs. Buy American and help keep your friends and neighbors-and even yourself-earning a living wage.
Edited by Smitty 2009-01-19 8:09 PM
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 39
Brighton, MI | define living wage.............$29.50 per hour to drive a forklift an hour and get paid for ten. I agree with what you say, but there has to be some accountability and alot more realalitiy in thee BIG THREE! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 204
guelph ontario | No issues with buying American (although I am a Canadian)-just wish so many things that Victory sells (aftermarket) were not made in China. HD also has a lot of their stuff made there including parts, accessories and clothing. So even when we buy American we are sometimes buying foreign made stuff anyway. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | Wizard523 - 2009-01-19 6:48 PM
And they want the feds (meaning US) to bail them out! Not a pretty picture......
First off, it's not a "bail out," like the free money given the financial institutions; the American auto industry is asking the government for a loan. As in, it will be paid back. Plus, our good ol' hard-working, real-world wage-earning Congressmen are making the Big Three give up a lot in order to get this loan, sacrifices that they never even thought of asking Wall Street, et al, to make for their free money.
Secondly, please do not base your opinion of auto workers on the 5 or 6 guys in this report. Are there abuses? Sure there are. But I'm willing to bet you that every single person here knows at least one slacker where he works. You know who I'm talking about: the guys that take the long lunches, or stand around and chat and watch you work your ass off, or who seem to spend all their time on cigarette breaks. Every single work place has them and auto plants are no different. Is it wrong? You bet it is. The vast majority of auto workers are very hard working folks who are trying their damnedest to make a decent living for their families and provide a better future for their kids.
Several years ago at my plant we had a "little incident" where several employees were caught on security cameras breaking shop rules by going off-property numerous times without properly clocking out. The individuals were fired, but they, of course, went to the Union to protest and get their jobs back. The Union told them that they obviously didn't really want their jobs, or else they'd be in the plant working like the rest of us and said there was nothing they could do for them.
So, please don't think we're all a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings who are just sitting around or hanging out in the bars instead of working. If that were true, how could the Big Three produce literally millions of cars and trucks every year?
@ Smitty: Nice list. Thanks for the support. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
| Ford, Chrysler, and GM it's really pathetic.
Corker, Senator from Tennesee has foreign car companies on his state soil, and he hammered the Big 3. Wonder why?
Shelby of Alabama wants the Big 3 to file bankruptcy. He has three foreign car companies in his state. Wonder how much "political" kickback he's getting.
What folks don't realize is that the Big 3, in the last contract took wage concessions. They will not get a raise for four years due to that. And new workers actually will make less than they will at Toyota, Mercedes, Honda, Toyota, and any of the rest of the lot.
They took cuts in insurance. They took elimination of classifications. And a lot of other stuff.
When one gets all of their information from CBS, NBC, CNBC....they're getting jaded and slanted facts. Or lack of facts.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 39
Brighton, MI | I know we shouldnt base our opinions on these five or six slackers, that would be wrong, I just dont under stand how the five or six workers that slack off at ford all drive to the same bar and
meet up every day! NOW thats commitment . you know denile is not only a river, it is a life for a vast many( Job banks--do I need to go on) |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | +1 more Smitty.
I have owned two successful businesses and have employed a number of production workers over the last 30 years.
An observations and a couple of comments.
1) The video depicts FORD workers, if these guys were typical of Ford employees one would think that Ford's management would have been in Washington with their hats in hand right next to GM and Chrysler, but they were not.
2) Six slackers in a Ford plant are a "red herring" in the current economic debate, just like the apocryphal welfare mother picking up her AFDC check in a limousine was in Ronald Reagan's era. These guys are thieves, but are they in the same league as Ivan Boesky, Micheal Milkin, Kenneth Lay, Andy Fastow, Jeff Skilling,(Enron) Berie Ebbers (Worldcom), The Rigas Family (Adelphia), Arthur Anderson, Global Crossing, Bernard Madoff, The ING execs who sold insurance that they knew they did not have assets to cover? I think not. This is only a partial list of Americas latest crop of Robber Barons
3) The absolute worst automobile I have ever owned in terms of reliability was a Subaru; the second worst was a Volvo both cars were bought because of their near legendary reliability. Fool me once, blah blah blah. My 97 Thunderbird, and my Dodge 1500 pickup have never broken down.
4) Labor is not the villain in this tragedy. The "smart" guys in management who have made consistently bad decisions for the last 40 years because it benefited THEIR bonuses and stock options bear the bulk of the responsibility. The guys on the production line have no decision making power other than the option to organize and protect their only "capital", which is the value of their labor.
5) Every American (including management) owes a number of benefits that many take for granted to organized labor. Child labor laws ,workplace safety rules, paid holidays, health benefits, the eight hour workday, the five day work week and overtime pay and vacations are all a direct result of organized labors struggle. If you need an example of what the working world would look like without BIG LABOR you need look no further than your local Walmart. It is my opinion that without the protections fought for (and maintained) by organized labor our kids would be working in textile mills and coal mines just like they do in many 3rd world countries.
6) Our government stepped all over itself throwing $700+ billion (without strings) at the Banks, Brokerage Houses and Insurance companies responsible for the evaporation of 40% of Americans wealth, but extracted big concessions from the auto industry and labor unions for LOANS. It was observed at the time that the government GAVE Billions "to guys who showered before work; but wouldn't offer a nickel to guys who showered after work".
I go out of my way to buy American and preferably local made products whenever possible, because I want my grandchildren to have a future with options.
I pay my people well, treat them well, and I expect hard work, productivity, accuracy and loyalty in return. I get it. Exploiters never do.
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | Tarpits, as a guy who "showers after work," I thank you. You should run for congress. We need more guys like you there. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I agree, the real thieves are at the management level, those in the video report are just a bunch of slackers and I'm curious if they are not fired by now. I agree with Rebel, Tar you should run for some kind of public office, we need politicians with VISION! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 102
Northeast Pennsylvania | The news these days are full of nothing but extremes and slanted the way their political views are at corporate. Stories these days are used to capture your attention not to provide any real honest substance. There is no such thing as non bias news with any of the giants and that includes Fox (of which I watched until I got sick of). The only thing that gets close to just stating the facts is Public TV news. As for the big story about 5 guys that are abusing the system.. I'm sure the 1000+ hard working co workers didn't like it either. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
| guys and told them to get ready to retire.
I doubt that with today's conditions, they'll fight very hard to keep them. And I'd imagine their boss, who may have known what they were doing has already issued the paperwork for their dismissal, one way or the other. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
| an audit (QS/ISO/TS), or a quality system designed specifically for you, let me know.
I'm quite sure with what you typed I'd give you one heck of a discount to do so.
Great post and the right attitude.
That's why you've been successful. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 63
| While this is an interesting topic that interests most of us, it has run its course. This site is intended for discussion of Victory and the Victory Vision motorcycle and hence we have just closed this topic. |
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Big three
Discussion -> Vision Discussion
