As expected, 480 Lincoln Goodyear jobs headed south

The Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska) ^ | Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002 | RODD CAYTON

[Willie Green]

The giant sucking sound continues to roar.

[Thisiswhoweare]

True. Thanks for posting this and the others you post on this subject.

Glad to see the freepers that think some of us are just "whining" shut up. Some don't know what it's like to feel like you're drowning and theree's nothing you can do to stop it. There is no 911 to dial for help.

[bert]

Make your self a job

[TheSpottedOwl]

You and another poster have been posting these plant closures steadily. How many jobs would you estimate have been lost just this week alone?

NAFTA: The giant sucking sound :(

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

"If we would've took the deal, they still would've moved the hose," Day said. "All they care about is money."

I guess the workers don't care about money?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

be sure to count the 3000 person plant that is going to open near Savannah, Georgia.

[Black Agnes]

Who will pay him if no one is working because there are no jobs?

[contessa machiaveli]

you're being callous. may i ask what is your profession? how does one make their own job? selling crap that people won't buy? services that people don't need or want or are done by low wage illegals? and no, i'm not whining...i have compassion.

[Newbomb Turk]

I have allways bought nothing but Goodyear tires since I was 16. Looks like I have bought my last set.

[Iscool]

You have to realize that there are FReepers that make their living from pawning a lot of this chinese junk off on Americans who are losing their jobs...

Walk into a "small business retail establishment" and hunt for something American made...You may be there a while...I have a brother who is looking into entering into this very lucrative field...A 2000% mark-up on most of that junk...

You better learn to like rice...The meat will be reserved for the business people...

[Willie Green]

I believe the story about the DCX plant was already posted as "10,000 New Jobs".
Actual jobs at the plant is about 2000, but they pumped up the number by a factor of 5 to estimate the multiplier effect of smaller supporting businesses that would accompany the new facility.

I don't know if a factor as great as 5 is valid, but it is true that the economic stimulus would produce additional jobs beyond the ones directly created at the new facility.

It is also true, however, that the same "ripple effect" produces more job losses than what is anounced when a plant closes.

2000~3000 new DCX jobs in Georgia is good news.
It helps offset 7000~8000 job losses in Georgia from Delta Airlines.

[Iscool]

be sure to count the 3000 person plant that is going to open near Savannah, Georgia.

Sure, makeing vehicles that most people won't be able to afford...And, watching the profits head to Japan...Yea, that's the answer...

[Willie Green]

How many jobs would you estimate have been lost just this week alone?

I don't know and I wouldn't dare guess.
What I HAVE noticed is that the pace of anouncements picked up significantly at the beginning of October.

[lsee]

crap, just crap!

[marron]

I was involved in a project that involved a partial plant closure in the US, combined with the expansion of a Mexican plant as some manufacturing capacity, and the attendant jobs, were to be shipped south.

I'm a hired gun, I go where I'm sent. The US plant was festooned with banners saying "our employees are our most important asset", which seemed rather humorous under the circumstances. The work ethic in the US plant, and in the Mexican plant, was very strong and I was impressed with both sets of workers. The US workers who were losing their jobs were philosophical about it, and surprisingly helpful and there was no visible acrimony as they helped us with our work.

I was also impressed with the Mexican workers who were taking on the additional workload.

Halfway through, the project was suspended, as the company had discovered that they could cut costs even further by subcontracting their manufacturing to Chinese companies. Not building or buying a plant in China, but simply handing over their specs to Chinese companies who would produce product to their design.

Rather than pay US workers, say, $12 or $16 an hour, or Mexican workers $1 per hour, they could pay Chinese pennies per hour. And have no responsibility to them, as they are not even employees.

I told them they were committing suicide, because if the Chinese company has your spec and your design, why do they need you? But I am no one, just a hired gun. It was an interesting project while it lasted.

I am generally a free-trader, and pro-NAFTA. I can see shifting low quality manufacturing south while retaining the more sophisticated processes here. High tech manufacturing makes high wages an insignificant part of the cost. And there are hidden costs to doing business in Mexico that makes it almost as expensive as the US, and sometimes even higher than the US, for certain processes. Whether it is better to move or remain in the US depends on the process, the labor situation, distance to your market and distance from your raw materials. It depends on the regulations, it depends on how well you can resist graft and hijackings and such in Mexico. Mexico is not automatically cheaper for a host of reasons, and some companies that have moved there have moved back after a time.

But opening your markets to Chinese slave labor is suicide. If even $1 an hour Mexican labor is too expensive, because you're competing with prison workers, a moral line has been crossed.

[Husker24]

I agree, doing business with China is flushing down the toilet every thing this country is supposed to stand for, all for the almighty dollar. Slave labor......dispicable.

[contessa machiaveli]

you make some interesting points. for the first time in my life i had to stop off at a sleazemart to buy cat food(nothing else was open). so being curious i began examining the merchandise, i wanted to see where it was made. i'm sure we've seen the made in turkey, china, hong kong, malaysia, yugoslavia, etc. but i was totally shocked to see a "made in kenya" label. kmarts, walmarts, targets, etc. are just feeding some americans appetites for sleazy, cheap products. i'm not sure how much lower it can go.

[MonroeDNA]

Socialist Plant Willie Green "The economy sucks!" Alert!

[bert]

I'm not callous.

I don't know you or what you know or what you can do. You have some skills and knowledge that can be brought to bear. But perhaps not the skills you are accostumed to use to make a living. I worked as an executive/engineer in the construction industry for many years. In the last few years I have offered my services as an inspector of goods being exported. The job uses my knowledge of materials and world trade. It is not what I did for years and years. It is new, different and fun.

Offering services to business and industry is the source of many home businesses. There are lots of independant contractors offering all kinds of services.

You have a computer and some skills, put them to work from your home.

My comment was not meant to be callous or critical but to offer encouragement. You can make yourself a job.... if you decide you want to.

[bert]

Please see post 19.

Your question assumes no jobs. I don't forsee such a situation, just different job. To suceed in the changed world, build on existing skills and obtain new ones. There may be some work involved, but all you have to do is do it.

Quit trusting in others and believe in yourself.