Herman Miller let 150 employees go during last three months

[neecer]

Arctic49519 wrote:

<quoted text>
Does it really matter? The point is it is a perfect example of corporate greed. A profitable business moving to mexico to exploit even more massive profits.

Yes it really does matter. The plant in the south in NONUNION, yet they leave that one open and is still profitable, and they close the UNION one in Greenville.

It was more than corporate greed that closed the Greenville plant.

[Arctic49519]

neecer wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes it really does matter. The plant in the south in NONUNION, yet they leave that one open and is still profitable, and they close the UNION one in Greenville.
It was more than corporate greed that closed the Greenville plant.

A union has never closed a plant, but corporate greed has.
You are so bent on condemning unions, you don't even want to see the truth. Big business does not give a sh*t about america, america's best interests, or the people.

[Mark is blown away]

Arctic49519 wrote:

<quoted text>
That question was already answered in my original post... corporate greed. Why did you reply to it if you didn't even read it?

So your answer to my question of why is the NON union shop still open, is 'corporate greed'?

Can you elaborate without resorting to your typical obsequious union banter?

[Arctic49519]

laura wrote:

<quoted text>I understand your stance on defending the union. I also believe that unions were "once"needed and useful in defending the average workers rights. I, like many others believe that in today's day and age many unions are too powerful. Unions have allowed "useless"employees to keep their jobs, unions have taken money in the way of union dues to promote whatever political values the union has, and helped to created the two tier pay system that many companies now have. These are just a few reasons why people view unions in a negative way. Much like welfare, it was once a needed entity that unfortunately people have abused.(Maybe not the best analogy but I hope it makes sense.)Thanks for reading.

I commonly hear the argument that unions were once needed, no longer necessary, outlived their usefulness, etc.
To me, this is like saying that the constitution is no longer necessary. If the gov't isnt violating everyone's rights, why don't we do away with the constitution, since it only protects criminals and hinders police... of course, this concept is ridiculous. If we do not have safeguards in place, abuses are inevitable. Unions are part of a checks/balances system for business in this country.
If businesses did not mistreat workers, they never would have unionized. There is absolutely no way that big business can be trusted to treat workers fairly. They don't care about workers, only money.

[Herman Miller EX]

Union, non-union, I have been on both sides of the fence with this company. Honestly, they treat the non-union employees better than their union, and to top it off, the non union get paid MUCH better! However, when you are non-union, you are just a number to Herman Miller. They could care less how many years, hours, etc. you have put in for their company. The bottom line is $$, and the easiest, cheapest way for them to get the profit even more. The corporate downsizing is much more than just the 'office' people they would lead you to believe. They lay off the machine techs, the ones who set everything up to run, and then expect the common worker to do the same job for no extra pay! They lay off those with many, many years experience, in hopes they will take the severant package, so they won't have to pay out the retirement packages that were promised when they hired them 20+ years ago. Herman Miller is all about the bottom dollar, its not that they didn't make any profit this year, they didn't hit the 50 billion dollar profit mark they were wanting oh so badly. I wish the best of luck to all those that were affected by the resent lay off, and I also wish the best of luck to those that are effected in the end of January. Peace be with you all.

[Redbaron]

Arctic49519 wrote:

<quoted text>
Your statement is correct.
The Electrolux plant in Greenville was always profitable. The union had nothing to do with that plant closing. Even if the Greenville workers made minimum wage, they simply could not compete with mexican workers willing to work for pennies. Electrolux went to Mexico to make even more massive profits.
The problem isn't union greed, it is corporate greed.
I suppose that the anti-union whiners will next argue that we should eliminate minimum wage laws, safety standards, and chemical disposal (environmental) standards so that more companies will stay in the U.S.

Take a stand America, boycott the companies that outsource jobs to other countries and don't buy their product. It's the only way to hurt their bottom line. Purchase only 100% American made products, if you can find them.

[Batch 37 Pain is Good]

C'mon, I have stated this before. Why isn't the local talent around Greenville picking up the flag and making those appliances under a new name. They know where to get the materials. They have the experience to produce. Arctic, Why isn't the Unions helping them become self sustaining? The company would be made in the USA. Market it as such. Sure they would work for less but the employees would have a stake in it being successful. Better yet, the profits will go back to them. Profits would not be as big per unit as Electroluxes but the employees would be the stock holders and get dividends buy competing with companies that are off shore.... Come on People, stop whinning and roll up your sleeves and fix your future. Don't wait for a govt. program, they do not have the money for you.

[Arctic49519]

Batch 37 Pain is Good wrote:

Arctic, Why isn't the Unions helping them become self sustaining?

I don't think you understand what a union is, what they do , or what they are for.

Workers form unions for mutual benefit and protection through strength in numbers.
Unions do not function to invest in companies, products, or job training. That isn't their purpose.

[Batch 37 Pain is Good]

Arctic, you forgot the collection of dues from members to buy the leadership fine cars and homes. Their purpose needs to evolve to fit the times as they help companies save jobs they may retain memberships and continue to collect(extort) dues from them...

[Arctic49519]

Batch 37 Pain is Good wrote:

Arctic, you forgot the collection of dues from members to buy the leadership fine cars and homes. Their purpose needs to evolve to fit the times as they help companies save jobs they may retain memberships and continue to collect(extort) dues from them...

How can you say their purpose needs to evolve to fit teh times when you don't even know what they do now or how they work? If you're such an expert, why don't you start your own union, and "extort" dues from thousands of people and buy your fine cars and homes.

And exactly what leadership are you talking about? Please tell us more about who these people are and what they get (if you actually KNOW what youre talking about.)

Union dues are not extorted from anyone. They are tax deductible, so members aren't out a dime. Even if they weren't tax deductible, the benefits of being in the UAW far outweigh some chump change in union dues. I've never heard any member of the UAW complain about union dues. It's cheap (FREE) insurance against unfair treatment.

[Arctic49519]

Maria wrote:

Arctic has been severely brainwashed by UAW. They do get to a lot of simple-minded people.

If you ever decide to get a job, enjoy your "at-will" employment, if you can even hold a job at all. Just remember who's paying the taxes that fund your bridge card.

[Batch 37 Pain is Good]

Arctic, you are going to be left behind.