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World Markets: |
| UpdateTime:2007-6-19 15:00:41 Catalog :Economics |
Many of the big companies are firing a pretty large chunk of their workforce. Five thousand here, 10 thousand there and pretty soon it
begins to add up. If the company can get along without them now what were they doing before?The unions are raising Cain (or something
similar) and are threatening to take the whole
company out on strike. I guess they havent
heard that they can easily be replaced by
workers in some foreign country that will work
for a fraction of the U.S. wage. The mass
stupidity of the union bosses has always amazed
me. Today they have almost no chips to play and
they say all in. Boys, this isnt Texas
Hold'em. They can wipe out the entire
workforce.When I was in Seattle recently I spoke with
some of the guys on the Boeing picket line and
I was amazed at their attitude. They seem to
think the world owes them a living and they
have the right to maintain their current life
style. They are in for a shocking surprise when
they find their job being sent to China to a
worker who makes 60 cents an hour with no car,
no house and NO benefits.If you are a union man you hate what I just
said, but the facts are there. From what I see
the standard of living in the U.S. is going to
come down. OK, you hate me, but killing the
messenger will not solve the problem.In order to stay in business companies must
be able to justify labor productivity costs of $25
an hour. The guy standing next to you (maybe
you) will be replaced by a more efficient
machine and your union better help the company
do it or there wont be any job at all. No one
wants to throw you out on the street, but if
your company cant compete they go under and
you hit the bread line.People must understand this is now a world
market and competition is no longer limited to
within our borders. The competitor for the job
you are doing is not a guy in Milwaukee or
Portland; he is in Asia or Russia. U.S. and
European countries are sending work abroad not
because they want to, but because they have to
if they want to survive.China has millions leaving the farm and
heading for the big city because that is where
the money is. Their government is as concerned
about unemployment as we are. Whatever they
earn in the city sweatshop is more than they
had on the farm. Those workers dont have
health insurance, vacations with pay, Social
Security (or any other kind) and definitely no
unions, but they are glad to be working.Politicians will promise you 2 turkeys
in the pot and 2 cars in every garage, cheap gas,
retirement on full pay and all kinds of good
stuff. Wake up. It is not possible.Your adversary is not in the bosss office.
Your competition is outside the USA. It is time
we recognize this is a world market.Copyright 2005
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| Source:localTrue Writer:Unknown |
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