America's Last Major Athletic Shoe Manufacturer Can't Survive Free-Trade Agreement With Vietnam

Business Insider ^ | 07/29/2011 | Gus Lubin

[central_va]

That’s exactly what happened in the auto industry going WAY back. GM was a prime example. Look at how many thousands of $ were part of the car price due to union salary and benefit demands, going back decades

The cost of labor including assembly, management and engineering is about 10%. So if you eliminated all labor costs then a 20k car would cost about 18K. Something to think about.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks SeekAndFind.

if [Zero] signs a free-trade agreement with Vietnam and seven other countries

Quick, blame it on Boehner!

[cumbo78]

The minimum wage is artificial and it drives up other wages which in turn drive up prices. If I want to work for someone for $5 PER HOUR that should be an agreement between me and the employer. In addition, the continual raising of the minimum wage, which is pushed by liberals has decimated employment of male minorities 18-24. Employers will do without or pay people off the books. There is no upside to a minimum wage.

[CowboyJay]

Minimum wage is not a new development. You do realize the US has had one in effect since 1938? In inflation-adjusted terms it’s about right smack in the middle of the range it’s been in since the early ‘50s. So blaming it for the recent uptick in unemployment or illegal immigration does not seem to make alot of sense.

Our trade policies and use of illegal immigrants has changed pretty drastically over the last couple decades, and both are definitely pinching the job pool.

Most of the inflation you’re dealing with has nothing to do with wages, especially in the lower levels, because they’ve been pretty flat since the mid-90’s. That has to do with the Fed going on a printing tear, and increased demand from overseas along with domestic overregulation jacking energy prices through the roof.

[dfwgator]

Minimum wage is not a new development. You do realize the US has had one in effect since 1938? In inflation-adjusted terms it’s about right smack in the middle of the range it’s been in since the early ‘50s. So blaming it for the recent uptick in unemployment or illegal immigration does not seem to make alot of sense.

In 1938, you didn't have a lot of women in the workplace. Their addition to the labor pool, increased the supply of labor, thus further pushing down wages.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

We do not need “free trade” agreements.

We need import tariffs.