New Jersey's Meltdown continues ... (Hillside: houses, buying, high school) - City-Data Forum

block911 · 10-13-2009, 09:17 AM

Manufacturing’s slow death march continues in New Jersey as nothing is being done to solve the problem

Shutdown of Hillside light manufacturing shop shows economic toll | Mark DiIonno - NJ.com

This country was build on manufacturing and we are letting this critical segment of our economy evaporate.

People may chuckle but its true. These are the jobs that created the great middle class and allowed other industries to flourish.

Ever wonder what the US will look like without a strong manufacturing base? To put it in perspective, without manufacturing, our current economic situation will be camelot compared to where we may be going.

Meanwhile: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091013/ts_nm/us_china_rich (broken link)

VeradoDan · 10-13-2009, 09:43 AM

New Jersey's policies towards businesses are absolutely abysmal, but I don't think the loss of manufacturing jobs has a whole lot to do with state policies. It's more of a national problem.

And while (obviously) the shift to Chinese manufacturing is an issue, I think part of the reason why so many manufacturing jobs have been lost is because our workforce just doesn't seem qualified to work in that sector anymore. I don't know about most people on here, but when I went to high school, pretty much everyone graduated and went on to college. A few people joined the military, but really no one I hung out with went right to work. I doubt there are many college grads interested in manufacturing jobs, and overall, I don't see those jobs as being in very high demand, at least in a place like New Jersey.

block911 · 10-13-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeradoDan

New Jersey's policies towards businesses are absolutely abysmal, but I don't think the loss of manufacturing jobs has a whole lot to do with state policies. It's more of a national problem.

And while (obviously) the shift to Chinese manufacturing is an issue, I think part of the reason why so many manufacturing jobs have been lost is because our workforce just doesn't seem qualified to work in that sector anymore. I don't know about most people on here, but when I went to high school, pretty much everyone graduated and went on to college. A few people joined the military, but really no one I hung out with went right to work. I doubt there are many college grads interested in manufacturing jobs, and overall, I don't see those jobs as being in very high demand, at least in a place like New Jersey.

I disagree, from the article it states that 30,300 people lost their jobs in manufacturing. So the people are there, the problem is US workers have to be taken care and can't be exploited like workers can be in China and india which is why their products are cheaper. Healthcare for them is nonexistant, you work till you drop or you starve to death, add that to the low cost of living and China has the US beat in EVERY industry. So anything the US comes up with will be duplicated and copied in China for less so what industry is safe? none. except for CEOs.

Their is an old story of Henry Ford and a salesman that told him they he can sell him machines that can create 20 times more cars per hour than a man could. Ford turned around and said "yes but machines won't buy my cars"

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Anyrate: new storm brewing: http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker...&asset=&ccode=

JERSEY MAN · 10-13-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeradoDan

New Jersey's policies towards businesses are absolutely abysmal, but I don't think the loss of manufacturing jobs has a whole lot to do with state policies. It's more of a national problem.

And while (obviously) the shift to Chinese manufacturing is an issue, I think part of the reason why so many manufacturing jobs have been lost is because our workforce just doesn't seem qualified to work in that sector anymore. I don't know about most people on here, but when I went to high school, pretty much everyone graduated and went on to college. A few people joined the military, but really no one I hung out with went right to work. I doubt there are many college grads interested in manufacturing jobs, and overall, I don't see those jobs as being in very high demand, at least in a place like New Jersey.

Dan it's an age thing. When I graduated high school in the 70's MOST of us went to work. Blue collar jobs. Post Office, Police, Fire, trucking, mechanics,warehouses. These jobs were plentiful. Not anymore. The people that went to college then DIDN'T want to be cops and postal workers. Now they do.

Alectrician · 10-13-2009, 10:12 AM

You need to maintain manufacturing at all costs. When you import Chinese metal goods it's not just the product that you are buying, it's the Chinese steel. Steel works here are either closing or closed but we are subsidizing the foreign manufacturing industry.
A thought for the future, When the foreign workers produce goods that could be made here they invest in their future and get education. Then they learn that they could be earning more so eventually the goods that were too expensive to make here are now more expensive to import but we have lost the manufacturing base to produce the goods ourselves.

BergenCountyJohnny · 10-13-2009, 10:40 AM

How is the example of one business in NJ directly a result of a supposed "meltdown" in NJ and not a meltdown in the USA??? My relatives in Ohio would laugh at this as they've been experiencing such businesses going under for a long time now.

It's just another case of an American manufacturer being driven out of business by the USA's policy of outsourcing to nations like China which are impossible to compete with since they use labor practices which are well below our standards (including outright slave labor).

Thanks, Walmart.

DailyJournalist · 10-13-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny

How is the example of one business in NJ directly a result of a supposed "meltdown" in NJ and not a meltdown in the USA??? My relatives in Ohio would laugh at this as they've been experiencing such businesses going under for a long time now.

It's just another case of an American manufacturer being driven out of business by the USA's policy of outsourcing to nations like China which are impossible to compete with since they use labor practices which are well below our standards (including outright slave labor).

Thanks, Walmart.

I agree, unless the US government does something to stop the outsourcing of American jobs to China and other similar countries these jobs will never return to America. It will only get worse now that I predict jobs will also be leaving to South American countries like Brazil and Peru in the near future. We have let our politician turn our country in to a land of consumers and not producers.

JERSEY MAN · 10-13-2009, 11:18 AM

Also in the 70's many americans would NOT buy a foreign car or products. My dad would be pissed if he saw me driving my toyota.

DailyJournalist · 10-13-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERSEY MAN

Also in the 70's many americans would NOT buy a foreign car or products. My dad would be pissed if he saw me driving my toyota.

That is true, if you go to other auto producing countries its residents have much pride in what they produce. Here in the US they will swing with the newest fad (hyndai,etc).

block911 · 10-13-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny

How is the example of one business in NJ directly a result of a supposed "meltdown" in NJ and not a meltdown in the USA??? My relatives in Ohio would laugh at this as they've been experiencing such businesses going under for a long time now.

It's just another case of an American manufacturer being driven out of business by the USA's policy of outsourcing to nations like China which are impossible to compete with since they use labor practices which are well below our standards (including outright slave labor).

Thanks, Walmart.

Cost of living in Ohio is MUCH lower than NJ. Thus the expectations of what the middle class should/can earn is MUCH lower in Ohio than in NJ.