Harley-Davidson layoffs are company's largest work-force reduct...

News that York's Harley-Davidson plant is cutting about 300 jobs did not come as a total surprise to Chris Day.

[mrt]

Phil,
You should move to china.

[government mule]

The bikes aren't selling.

[steve]

I know none union workers making $12 a hour just got laid off do u think that is because there over paid ?

[Debbie]

Not a surprise to me ! Should it be to anyone ???

[mike]

Harley has to take a look at the new models with heating and trans problems. I live in Florida and forget about riding a Harley here. The engine heat will cook you from the back cylinder. Maybe its time for a water cooled engine.

[John Wayne]

Its the biggining of the end for Harley.Younger people want fast sleek bikes. The 40 somethings arnt buying bikes right now. Harley will most likely move and close the York plant . I really hope im wrong but i can see the writing on the wall here.I agree with ustaxpayer, please please older workers if they offer you a retirement package take it. Let the 25yr old with a young family keep his job.Remember CAT? They never thought they would close. Heres a short list of manufacturers that have closed in the past 20 yrs. Cole Steel,CAT,Lyon Metal,Teledyne Mckay,Certainteed,all good paying family supporting jobs.

[Man in Black]

Harley needs to look to the future. With the current gas prices they need to be working on bikes that people can afford and drive to and from work on a regular basis. When a bike costs almost as much as my house does.....kinda hard to justify.

Hell not just bikes, most cars are running 30 to 40k. I paid 65k for my house.

[CEB]

When anything happens at Harley its the unions fault. When CAT left, it was the unions fault. The airline industry problems are the unions fault. Nobody seems to know that all the economic decisions for any company are made by upper management. These include contracts, wages, benefits, vacation, and insurance, etc. for both union and salaried.

Do you remember reading how upper management still gets huge bonuses even when companies are going down the drain. Harley can layoff 750 workers and still give out 4.5 million dollars in bonuses. Why didn't that make the newspapers? But it did make the stockholders report. Those 750 workers won't earn 4.5 million dollars this year.

How many of you know about Honda motorcycles closing their entire assembly plant in Ohio? Did you care about those workers? Did you know that the top Honda costs more than the HD Ultra Classic? Before it starts, do not start comparing the two bikes. This forum is about workers losing their jobs.

We are in a recession, regardless of what our goverment is telling us. Times will get tougher before getting better. We need to look out for each other and not lower ourselves to petty bickering and name calling.

[Sick of Springsteen]

The headline act at HD Fest, Bruce Springsteen, just endorsed obama.

What the heck has happened to America?

Spread the news on the net and to Harley that this is not cool.

scroll down for the message

http://brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html

[A-Patriot]

It is a sad day when one of the last holdouts in the true American Industry is struggling. If Harley goes under, what American Industry will be left? Waitressing?

[madinba]

mike wrote:

Harley has to take a look at the new models with heating and trans problems. I live in Florida and forget about riding a Harley here. The engine heat will cook you from the back cylinder. Maybe its time for a water cooled engine.

but mike that is why people buy harleys. ancient technology. maybe time to step into the new millenium?

[AZ Doug]

Too bad for HD, a really too bad for the workers in York, PA! The economic times are tough and will get tougher.

These lay offs are a combination of economics and HD continuing to be TOO SLOW in doing upgrades to their bikes. As such, Asia and Europe are getting more of the market share for having the latest modern technology on their bikes.

WAKE UP Harley-D and save some workers jobs as well as keeping HD solvent. The days of taking your sweet ass time in doing upgrades to your bikes needs to end before the jobs and company stall out again. Hell, maybe AMF will step up again and finish trashing it.

[Mikeyboy]

The company is downsizing for a reason. HD is still in a reasonably good position, with growth on the international markets, etc. But they don't want to overproduce. Seems that this might be a time for them to trim down the company a bit so they can weather through the current economic condition and come out strong when things pick up again.

If the company stays too big or tries to grow too fast, then the recession could take a bigger long term hit on the company. Imagine that you run your own business, and demand for your product has softened. Do you retain massive headcount and blow all your corporate cash while your profits are down, or do you act smartly and keep your company lean until demand is up again. Seems like the company has a reasonably good strategy to me.

By the way, the retirement deal might be a sweet situation for some of the old timers. I know my boss is interested. Might not be as painful as it seems(?). In any case, my prayers are with you guys at York.

[maxizth1]

I rode motorcycles for forty some years never owned a
harley never will there junk, they are now and they
always have been. They are unreliable they overheat
their slow. Yes they have pretty paint jobs I am not going to pay twenty five thousand dollars for a paint job and a name. You people that buy them because they are made in this country swallow your pride. Start thinking with the head on your shoulders.

[brandon]

strike would be a nice idea, but obviously thats no going to happen. both kc and york just signed a new contract. The only way that York will close is if they can build another KC type facility.(not likely)!!

[Patriot]

Max, Yes you are the 1, the big 1 Jerk!

maxizth1 wrote:

I rode motorcycles for forty some years never owned a
harley never will there junk, they are now and they
always have been. They are unreliable they overheat
their slow. Yes they have pretty paint jobs I am not going to pay twenty five thousand dollars for a paint job and a name. You people that buy them because they are made in this country swallow your pride. Start thinking with the head on your shoulders.

[Dave]

I've been riding motorcycles for thirty years too. And you know I actually bought a Harley because it is what it is! You all talk about modernization. The people that buy Harley don't want crouch rockets!!!!!!!!! They want the big twins with all their torque and great sound. I've heard all those Honda's and Yamaha's out there trying to duplicate the sound and it just sounds ridiculous. If you want to be riding a Harley then buy a Harley don't try to dress up wanta be. These people are loosing their job due to gas prices and the economy. No one has extra cash now with things being what they are now. I'm not saying there couldn't some better management at that plant. Why run the assemble line 24/7 at full speed when you have warehouses full of product, that's what they've been doing.

[T man]

Well here is the story. Harley is another US company that refuses to fess up to engineering problems. You PAY alot of hard earned money for something and you have problems with it. And Harley don't want to here about it. BACK your product and WE will buy them, till then buy a HONDA!!!!!!!!!!

T

[Who Cares]

They don't call em "hogs" for nothin'.
I don't see how they get these motorcycles to suck so much gas!
It's a 2 cylinder engine with just 2 wheels, you'd guess they would get twice the MPG of an average car, but they don't do they?
Do they even get 25 MPG?
This is where management's vision is lacking. These vehicles should be engineered to have a serious MPG advantage over a car, but I don't think they do.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but a "hog" really is a "hog". And the gas tank is small too for the amount fuel required to go anywhere.
I think Harley could do some work on the MPG
and cruising range.

[old man]

I have been reading the post here and some of you have good points. But most of you are just backing up the brand of bikes that you like. First Harley doing the right thing by cuting their staff. If you want to break a company have 66 months are more of your good just seting in a wear house some where and keep on runing 24/7. Dodge seen this problem and complety shut down their truck plants for a number of months. Look at things this way. The next time you get dress and put on your clths maded in Mexico, turn on your radio are tv make in Japan are korea, nuke you some to eat in your microwave oven made in china ,and get in that car are bike that came from japan, Cook that hamburger that came from South America and the list gos on and on. People the only jobs left in this country is fliping burgers. There not any thing made in this country any more. That is what takeing people jobs away. Some one said go on strike,which be puting gas on the fire. And don't put all of the problem onto the gas company either. Gas and any thing that has to do with oil can and will keep going through the roof untle the supply get near the demand. And that not going to happen until they let more drill be done in this country and build more refrinerys(MS) . Its been 40 years sent the last one was built. One of these days the people here will have to make thir mines up on to save that little bird are what ever it is they trying to save are get use to walking.