Posted on 02/15/2014 10:15:48 PM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
Ilion, N.Y. — A union official said Saturday the Remington Arms Co.'s decision to open a manufacturing plant in Alabama does not bode well for Ilion, and he's blaming New York's Safe Act restrictions on assault weapons.
"It can't be good," said Fran Madore, president of United Mine Workers Local 717, which represents 1,180 of the 1,300 Remington employees in Ilion. "How can it be good?"
Madore said plant officials told him they wanted to meet with him on Monday. They did not say what they wanted to talk about, but Madore said he assumes it will be about the company's reported plans to open a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Ala.
AL.com reported Saturday that the Huntsville facility could employ up to 2,000 people. It said details could be revealed on Monday about plans for a Remington facility in a former Chrysler plant near Huntsville International Airport....
"The SAFE Act has been a terrible thing from the beginning," he said. "You'd think New York would be doing everything to keep us. Instead, it passes a law that cripples us."
Remington and other firearms makers can still manufacture assault weapons in New York, but they can't sell them inside the state. New York lawmakers, at the urging of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, imposed the restrictions after a man armed with an assault rifle massacred twenty children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at syracuse.com ...
Why are workers at an arms plant in the United Mine Workers union?
That part of the country is beautiful.
I saw that commercial. Pretty desparate!
Any and all gun companies should move out of commie territory and lose the unions when they do. No excuse to remain and support the leftists.
Two thumbs up!
If they could, they'd call a slingshot an "assault weapon".....just to make David a diabolical murderer when he slew Goliath.
Leni
More accurately, that is what the downstate and cities voted for.
Ilion is a small town with only around 8,000 people in upstate Herkimer County which itself has a population of around 64,000.
In 2012, they voted 53%/45% for Romney. It is a conservative area. Unfortunately, it can't out vote the 80%/20% margins given to Liberals in New York City and Long Island.
But I agree. New York is lost. Remington is best served to leave for a free state.
I posted the article regarding this move yesterday! Great day for Huntsville area!!!
I don't think it would be as much of a shock as you might think. Most upstate New Yorkers are a lot more like southerners in attitude and opinion than the City folk who are like from another planet. I know I easily and happily adjusted to the South and I was raised only a county over.
If they can make the unions stay behind, most who move will be just fine and fit in. The unions have killed New York industry and jobs by the hundreds of thousands and a lot of the people know it but can't do anything about it because of who runs the State (the Liberals and unions).
“How many guys would want to move to Huntsville? That would be an interesting question. “
Keep in mind that these are people who make guns for a living. NY state probably sucks for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if quite a few followed the company to Alabama.
“About the time I enlisted in the Air Force, 1956, a common refrain in the southern United States was the statement that the South would rise again. It seemed like a silly dream in those days, but it has gradually happened. More car manufacturing jobs, gun and ammo, high tech and medicine,etc have re-energized the south and it seems to be here to stay.”
Heh, heh, heh. Looks like “dumb” southerners can figure out a thing or two.
“MA hasn’t changed their gun laws in years. No need to hate on S&W.”
Sure there is. They don’t make a particularly good gun, they sold out gun owners some years back (under different management), and they continue to support the tax coffers of a state that despises gun owners.
Part of my family is from up there as well, and were from there since before the revolution.
None are left. They realized that in the long run, you can’t fight stuck on stupid.
You are quite right. Plenty of New Yorkers got there before them and will help make them feel welcome. It won't be necessary, however, they will be made to feel welcome by most everyone. They will probably like the fact that the city is growing, businesses, jobs, homes, etc. They will have to make a choice: be an Alabama or an Auburn fan, but you can go either way. Most importantly, when it comes time to retire, they won't have to move to the South. They'll already be there.
First off all, they make very well made, easy to shoot, and exceptionally well crafted firearms. To suggest they do not is just silly.
They employ a great deal of people who are hard working, good citizens, and support thousands in an environment that has lost thousands of manufacturing jobs.
Sure they pay taxes. They don’t “support” the Commonwealth per se. They support their local communities. For Gods sake, they pay taxes to the Fed gov at a time when most of them would shut down the gun industry.
If SW were to move, my guess is they would move out of the country. None of us need that.
A lot of Freepers talk out their ass when it’s easy and it doesn’t affect them personally. Unless you know what you are talking about, it’s best to support the good guys, even though we are struggling in tough territory. We used to support each other. Lately, this place has turned into a Texas mutual masturbation circle.
“Well, he’s right. Cuomo’s gun control laws should be blamed.”
Help Stop the Homo - Vote Against Cuomo!!!
Rebuke well taken.
I disagree with you on the quality of their firearms. In every category of firearm that they make, someone does (or did it) it better. About the only place I’d argue they’re the industry leader is with revolvers, and that’s largely by default.
While S&W may well support thousands in an environment that has lost thousands of manufacturing jobs, that’s not necessarily the best thing for the long term. I have absolutely nothing against the folks who work for S&W. However, S&W’s presence in a state that has done everything it can to destroy industry in general and the firearms industry in particular is at best strategically unwise. They’re subsidizing those who in the long run WILL destroy them. You can’t feed a tiger your hand and not expect it to come back later for the rest.
As for S&W leaving the US, I have to assume that they’re as motivated by profit as any other large company. If they felt they could leave the US and make more money by doing so, they would have already done it. The fact that they haven’t tells me that they don’t view it in their best interest to do so.
As for changes in FR, I think there has become less of a tolerance for those areas of the country that are actively seeking to destroy what we have spent 200 plus years to build.
I guess you guys have no support for those of us stuck “behind the lines.”
That’s a good American value.
GFY. When the balloon goes up, I will pray that you are amongst the first casualties.
“Unless you know what you are talking about, it’s best to support the good guys, even though we are struggling in tough territory. “
I wanted to expand on this point a little bit more. By your site handle I gather that you’re in VT?
I think many FReepers, including myself, are all for standing tough. The problem is, there are places where you can stand tough, and other places where you’re simply fighting a lost war. VT and MA and NY are states where that’s probably true. While I don’t think that’s true throughout the northeast, there are a few states where it’s simply over.
So do we stand idly by while our conservative brethren set themselves up to be the first “guests” when the leftists decide that their conservative minorities need to be sent off for re-education? Or do we encourage them, sometimes sharply, to get the heck out of dodge while they can?
For many of us, that is simply not possible. For unlike the masses everywhere, I am committed to caring for the elderly on both sides of my family. The cannot be moved. Therefore, I cannot be moved.
In the end, I am done fighting these battles here. I am not giving an opus, but I am simply logging out so that I have to think twice about posting.
I have no idea where you are or what you do. As you clearly do not care about me and mine, I care not about you or your family.
I am not in Vermont, I am in MA. We do what we can.
I am sick of the knee jerk, ignorant comments that appear on this site.
You and other freepers are for “standing tough.” And I guess that means that you stand for yourselves. If the people of Mass did not stand tough, YOU would still be a subject of the crown, Thank God, there were real men and women in this country who would gladly stand together at that time. Now, because of your ignorance and knee jerk stupidity, there is little doubt that we shall hang first.
Again, your narrow view of patriotism and conservatism, makes me pray to see your demise before my own.
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