Pratt To Cut Workforce In State

[pndog]

Bob wrote:

Only an idiot would buy from someone who couldn't produce the most economically.
I have seen tons of well-paying facilities all over the nation that can be the world's low cost producer.
They deserve, and they get, my business. Those that can't fill that bill have not earned it.

Only an idiot would buy or invest into a country that is or potentially could be America's enemy.

[Bob]

Yes, I would, as I have had one each (GM & Ford), and they were my worst cars. Broke down too much, poor workmanship, poor attention to detail when assembling them.

2 worst purchases of my life.

I have been a Honda customer ever since. they have been super.

[Bob]

Countries don't get a consumers' business. Private corps do.

Those that earn the business , get it.

Those that don't, close.

[pndog]

Bob wrote:

BTW, Philips stockholders also benefit when they make the light bulb in Taiwan, as they don't pay union extortion wages to get the product.
In the 80s, several Bridgeport area mfg plants had production people (with not even a GED required),making, regularly, more than middle-level managers with Masters degrees.
Several went RTW with production, several offshore. Geez, I wonder why?

Probably because these union people worked allot of overtime. And as far as the Master Degree goes, unless it was in engineering, it is little more than under water potty training.

[pndog]

Bob wrote:

Yes, I would, as I have had one each (GM & Ford), and they were my worst cars. Broke down too much, poor workmanship, poor attention to detail when assembling them.
2 worst purchases of my life.
I have been a Honda customer ever since. they have been super.

Well if you are so smart you should have been able to fix them yourself. A Honda, how feminine and UNPATRIOTIC!

[Bob]

The pay scales were such, that working less than 45 hours per week, would have them grossing 2x the state median pay.

They naturally saw their jobs move to RTW states, where the wages are still providing a middle class, but not upper middle class lifestyle.

Most axed in Ct never recovered. Many work in retail now (I have seen them at WM), most likely making $8-9 per hour and part-time.

They can thank their steward for that.

[Bob]

I shouldn't fix them at all. I was the customer.

If I must fix the product, I don't buy it again.

The customer (union folks hate this) is a privelege, not a right.

So I waved bye-bye to D-3 products. Given the millions who did the same, we see D-3 plant after plant closing.

Guess they couldn't run slogans : "Buy our cars, fix them yourself".

[pndog]

Bob wrote:

Countries don't get a consumers' business. Private corps do.
Those that earn the business , get it.
Those that don't, close.

A countries sustain an environment for these industries. Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Germany and even Israel are all protection of the US, have National Health care, most have strong Unions and all are protected by the US Taxpayer funded US Military with without the world would look much differently and you would not have a Honda. Yet these same protected countries' industries do not have to contribute to their own defence. They just live off ours.

[Bob]

Not true. Perhaps you aren't aware, Japan reimburses 75% of the US cost back to our General Fund.
Other nations do the same-varying percentages.

In most cases, we requested they not run their own defense, for fear of it getting offensive.

[Bob]

BTW, my Hondas (last 2) weremade in America.

[pndog]

Bob wrote:

Not true. Perhaps you aren't aware, Japan reimburses 75% of the US cost back to our General Fund.
Other nations do the same-varying percentages.
In most cases, we requested they not run their own defense, for fear of it getting offensive.

Regardless they would not be their without us, and neither would Honda be here.

[NWARETCAPT]

Bob wrote:

Not true. Perhaps you aren't aware, Japan reimburses 75% of the US cost back to our General Fund.
Other nations do the same-varying percentages.
In most cases, we requested they not run their own defense, for fear of it getting offensive.

Now, that's something I wasn't fully aware of. Helps me see things a little better.

[pndog]

NWARETCAPT wrote:

<quoted text>
Now, that's something I wasn't fully aware of. Helps me see things a little better.

Compare that to foreign aid and it becomes a little more synical.
The Wizard of Oz is on TNT now. I just had this thought; the house falls on the wicked witch of the east and kills her which represents the banks of the east in this political satire. Is not that what just happened. The housing mortgage problem just landed on the banks and killed them. The wizard in the book was JPMorgan, now played by the Fed Chief just rescued the banks.

[Cable Guy]

Take a good long look at what areas of the country have failed, the northeast with it's BIG UNIONS!!! It is pretty obvious, the steel mills, the auto industry, tool and die, acft mfg, foundries, even the airlines themselves. While the BIG FAT CATS in the unions sit ther happy and fat with their pensions you folks are hitting the street. Times have changed, and it is not going back to the good old days even if Obama gets in there. We are a world economy, simple as that. The other thing to look at also, how about your taxes there inn Conn, pretty high from what I recall. You are also victims of failed social programs, providing for every Tom Dick and Harry that walks in your state, to include the Illegals. Everything can't be FREE, and taxes were origianally put in place to run the Gov not buy votes or quiet a bunch of whinners that think because they live here it is "Theri Right" to funds. Someone needs to say enough is enough, no more.

[Bob]

"Take a good long look at what areas of the country have failed, the northeast with it's BIG UNIONS!!!"

Correct, Bureau of Labor Stats divides US into 9 regions. For last 25 years, Rust Belt & New England (with high union %0 flipped b/w each other for the lowest 2 regions for job growth.

[Zonker]

Bob wrote:

"Take a good long look at what areas of the country have failed, the northeast with it's BIG UNIONS!!!"
Correct, Bureau of Labor Stats divides US into 9 regions. For last 25 years, Rust Belt & New England (with high union %0 flipped b/w each other for the lowest 2 regions for job growth.

And yet, the per capita income in the northeast makes Tennessee look like a third world economy!

Are you angry because you come from one of the poorest states in the nation???

Maybe you need some Union organizing in your redneck businesses.

[Bob]

Actually, I was born in Ct, and make 2.5 times as much here, as Nashville has been named by Corp Relocation experts in top 5 in nation 3 of last 5 years.

(might have heard amongst these was the move of Nissan North American hq from LA, and Int'l paper went to Memphis-from Stamford,Ct, taking their corp hq jobs!)


The reality is unions killed Ct.

To give some examples, Casco made lighters in Bridgeport until 10 years ago. Today, they produce in Mississippi and Kentucky. Carpenter Steel moved from Ct to Pennsylvania. Bayer turned Cts' offer of $60 mill down, to relo to NJ. Philips Medical left Ct for Washington.

Ct has won few state-to-state migration battles, and lost a ton.

Thus, Ct ranks dead last amongst 50 states in job growth this decade.

[NWARETCAPT]

Bob wrote:

Products should be made where they can made most economically. That isn't always the cheapest labor source. A 40' shipping container that costs $5k to get to LA 3 years ago, now costs $14k.
If the US can produce the content in it within $14k of Asia, and we should be able to considering automation, we'd make it here.
Stuff like light bulbs naturally go to Asia, they stack well in containers, are labor intensive, and not rocket science, so mfg knowledge isn't a factor.
the reality is RTW mfg has held up better than closed shop mfg-why, UNIONS overpriced themselves.
Consider; Transplants have added 115k auto mfg jobs in last 15 years.# in Closed Shop states; 0.
# with UAW members: 0.

Interesting that this morning the topic of the cost of transportation is giving a number of companies incentive to move back to the U.S. Ironically, the high cost of oil could increase the need for workers in the U.S. At the same time, the Russians are going balls to the wall in search of oil in the Arctic while we stand idly by. Who the hell is running the store?

[Bob]

The best part of expensive oil is yes, it is making it possible to produce cheaper in the US in many cases, assuming union extortion wage levels are not involved.

VW is opening their plant, they have admitted, partly due to the trend b/w the US $ and other currencies, and partly due to expectations about rising shipping costs, making US onshore production a better option.

As with other transplants, there will be no UAW, but wage levels are expected to mirror the D-3.

[NWARETCAPT]

Bob wrote:

The best part of expensive oil is yes, it is making it possible to produce cheaper in the US in many cases, assuming union extortion wage levels are not involved.
VW is opening their plant, they have admitted, partly due to the trend b/w the US $ and other currencies, and partly due to expectations about rising shipping costs, making US onshore production a better option.
As with other transplants, there will be no UAW, but wage levels are expected to mirror the D-3.

Question Bob: As far as increases or decreases in any standard of living in the U.S. is concerned, will prices through out the market place adjust in a way that will maintain the standard of living we have enjoyed over the past few decades? It does seem that with CEOs making 300-400 times what the average laborer makes raises the question, can the middle class survive and how does this work?

Is the free market a friend of labor to the extent that it has been for management?

I'm just a lowly pensioner and have little knowledge of these matters.