Bloomington GE refrigerator plant to close

The GE refrigerator plant in Bloomington will close by the end of 2009. The plant employs about 900 people, and GE has said about 60% will retire with benefits.

[CORNBREAD]

taco

[Scott]

I have lived in Bloomington for 30 years. They have been saying this exact think for at least that long. I don't feel sorry for any displaced workers, they should of gotten out years ago.

[Scott]

Sorry,"...exact thing"

[Jackson Mauser]

Ideas for saving the plant? I have one. Pay the gorillas minimum wage. Then they get to keep their jobs and won't have to go work for Wal-Mart when the plant closes. Bloomington used to be such a neat town, and now its headed toward being a ghetto.

[mark]

Scott wrote:

I have lived in Bloomington for 30 years. They have been saying this exact think for at least that long. I don't feel sorry for any displaced workers, they should of gotten out years ago.

We feel sorry for you though. anyone with that kind of thinking definetly needs help. The last thing anyone needs to hear is some thoughtless remark like that. Get a life...!
People in general are told things like this their whole life.... But the American spirit believes and hopes and trys hard to make it work, People here in America used to Not give up. its them kind of people who built this great country. In todays America though we have the people like Scott , quitters, victims, those that cant and wont. They live off the goverment and vote for people that name the name of Democrats that feed their need to be took care of , which in turn breeds laziness...Ha. they pop pills from the doctor cause he says their depression is some kind of mental disorder that only drugs can control. Hogwash I tell ya.
When I was growin up it was called a pity party or one couldnt have thier own way. Get over it.. its mind over matter. quit blaming someone else and stand up and say I can, and I will and I am......!!!!
I wonder if GE is just giving this excuse trying to cover so they can quietly cross the border to hire that cheap labor..... Money...the Root of all evil.

God bless all you workers down there hope you find a better job.

[Ballards fault]

You lost business. Bloomington. Part of your tax base. You know.....the taxes you DONT pay!It wasnt just the fridges moving out, no it was what was coming in.

Scott wrote:

Sorry,"...exact thing"

[Whoopie]

jobs any more are almost as stable as a 3 legged cow- building new hospitals adding on etc- building new schools etc- the elecetd officials better be thinkin about savin jobs then out spending spending spending on what they wont have if plants keep closing people will move until its finaly a 3rd world country and then what ?

[mark]

Jackson Mauser wrote:

Ideas for saving the plant? I have one. Pay the gorillas minimum wage. Then they get to keep their jobs and won't have to go work for Wal-Mart when the plant closes. Bloomington used to be such a neat town, and now its headed toward being a ghetto.

right on. Bloomingtons major problem and always has been is the Liberal Democrats that rule down there in the beautiful country side of Sounthern Indiana.
People like John Melloncamp come from there.
they spread and teach lies, half truths, they live to save the Whales and the Spotted Owls, the Environment. they boycott those that do animal testing and in the same breath and stride they line up at Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic to kill their Baby because while doing the wild thing last month they got pregnant because they coudnt keep there legs shut or use a contraceptive to protect a precious innocent baby from the death chamber of the Abortion clinic. Its called IRRESPONSIBILITY..!!! they are the one that needs to be aborted. it snot the babies fault..!
if a person doesnt think it is Murder in the first degree...well I just double dog dare you to go to..>> www.silentscream.org or are you SCARED...???????

if that isnt insane, a oxy moron then what is...
Woe to those that called evil good and good evil, who call bitter sweet and sweet bitter , who she innocent blood...Woe unto them. thats what the Holy Almighty God says the one and Only God Jehovah.

Just remember we all have opinions, But only the truth counts.

[EX-GE EE]

I worked for GE in Ft Wayne for 40 yrs. I saw the work force dorp from 10,000 union employees to 35 people left on the production floor. This does not count the maintenance, Techs. or office people who lost jobs that left,because of cheaper help and insurance in other countries.
My belief is,if we as the work force could say yes to an hourly pay rate of $15 to $20 an hour and a cost of cost-of-living increase per year, we could live pretty well. Of course we also need med.insuance. Most of us in FT Wayne were $25 to $28/hr.

[IU Employee]

Mark you should keep focused on the story and not take off on other rants.

First off, these people have worked there for years and would you give up the hourly rate to take a job elsewhere for less? I do not think so. So these people have continued to work for their families. We have alot of families that have both husband and wife working there. These are the families that will be hurting the most. Although Bloomington offered tax breaks (government not the people of Bloomington) and 2009 is when the tax break for GE ends, most will assume that this is the reason they are leaving. I think that is part of it but the other is the fact of cheaper workers in Mexico. This is not just a Bloomington problem as it happens all over the United States. NAFTA has alot to do with this.

I hope that as caring people we would support these workers instead of bashing them.

[Jason]

EX-GE EE wrote:

I worked for GE in Ft Wayne for 40 yrs. I saw the work force dorp from 10,000 union employees to 35 people left on the production floor. This does not count the maintenance, Techs. or office people who lost jobs that left,because of cheaper help and insurance in other countries.
My belief is,if we as the work force could say yes to an hourly pay rate of $15 to $20 an hour and a cost of cost-of-living increase per year, we could live pretty well. Of course we also need med.insuance. Most of us in FT Wayne were $25 to $28/hr.

Tell this to American Axle employees, and maybe all the lives they have affected with their strike could go back to work!!

[Kenny D cost center 82]

I worked at the GE Bloomington plant from 1994 till 2003. This was an extremely fast paced assembly line ( 6 units per minute) that was very demanding both physically and mentally. The workers at this facility should be proud of the tremendous job they have done, and should never hang their head over the plant closing.
The workforce at Bloomington was one of the finest in the world, and here is yet another case of corporate greed and NAFTA explotation.
The employees earned every dime given in wages earned through blood, sweat, and tears.
God Bless America, and God Bless the heart and soul of the American workforce, which is the backbone of this great nation.

[Kenny D cost center 82]

Jackson Mauser wrote:

Ideas for saving the plant? I have one. Pay the gorillas minimum wage. Then they get to keep their jobs and won't have to go work for Wal-Mart when the plant closes. Bloomington used to be such a neat town, and now its headed toward being a ghetto.

Ideas for saving your breath? I have one-I would like to see you do the job for just one hour- You are clueless to what this job demanded. let alone the job skills required. People who have never worked on an assembly line think this was easy-how naive!!!