Mercury vote - Fond du lac (Milwaukee, Union: unemployment rate, wages, live)

[ccjarider]

Any thoughts on the union vote news?

Looks like it might be a town with cheap housing pretty soon.

[Milwaukee City]

Well it looks like the unions killed another company and the workers still letting others speak for them instead of themselves. Gov Doyle didn't do Merc any favors either with comb. reporting. You know if we had a great business climate we could become the "Texas" of the north and start stealing jobs from high taxed states like IL.

[think first]

Reducing wages and then putting a freeze on any raises for seven years is pretty hard to swallow. During and after recessions, employees are asked to work more for less. My dad made more money in the 70s than these people are being asked to work for now. And he wasn't some big shot. We were considered middle class. Backwards we go. Except for the very rich.

[Milwaukee City]

Reducing wages and then putting a freeze on any raises for seven years is pretty hard to swallow.

Better than not having a job! and plus it's a little selfish to not think of the city of FDL and the impact that the union workers vote will have on the impact on the city. What I would have done was vote yes and call Merc's bluff at least you have a chance of keeping your job as opposed to now it's a done deal. I would have voted yes and then looked for a new job if I couldn't live on that wage. That way at least the jobs stay in FDL for those who can live on 13/hr. So what these people are saying is that they would rather lose their job than take a pay cut...selfish and stupid. I bet their wives would've voted yes.

[susancruzs]

I don't get it, surely a job is better than none. Where are all these people going to find work? I could not believe some of the interviews I heard on TV, definitely tunnel vision and not looking at the big picture or down the road at all.

I had a hunch it would go no just for the pre-vote hype that was on TV and in the papers, I hoped it would be yes but I guess the union will pay their bills after unemployment runs out.

[Allan Trafton]

This is the classic cut off your nose to spite your face. The reality is the union has little or no leverage. The company hoped that they would turn the contract down. I'm sure they want to get rid of the union once and for all and move their operation to Oklahoma. They put themselves in a win win position. Take the cuts or move the operation.

As far as the workers. There crazy. The economy sucks and the chance of landing a similar job with pay and bennies is slim to none. They were overcome with pride, but this will be short lived. In a few years they will regret this and wish they could have a redo. This is not going to turn out good for the Mercury workers or the city of Fond du lac.

[NicePolishBoy]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Better than not having a job! and plus it's a little selfish to not think of the city of FDL and the impact that the union workers vote will have on the impact on the city. What I would have done was vote yes and call Merc's bluff at least you have a chance of keeping your job as opposed to now it's a done deal. I would have voted yes and then looked for a new job if I couldn't live on that wage. That way at least the jobs stay in FDL for those who can live on 13/hr. So what these people are saying is that they would rather lose their job than take a pay cut...selfish and stupid. I bet their wives would've voted yes.

The reduced wages and longer pay freeze is happening to many of us. It is horrible but true. I really have to agree with the "selfish" statement above. This decision will impact many more people than the employees.

[ndheah]

Unions, as usual kill another company. Frankly, the ones that voted against the reorganization are fools and deserve to lose their jobs. For the ones that wanted to to vote for the change, I feel sorry for them.

[BacktoNE]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

I don't get it, surely a job is better than none. Where are all these people going to find work? I could not believe some of the interviews I heard on TV, definitely tunnel vision and not looking at the big picture or down the road at all.

I had a hunch it would go no just for the pre-vote hype that was on TV and in the papers, I hoped it would be yes but I guess the union will pay their bills after unemployment runs out.

Exactly! This is going to impact hundreds of people in addition to those currently employed my Merc. Marine. It's not like manufacturing jobs are a dime-a-dozen around here.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Well it looks like the unions killed another company and the workers still letting others speak for them instead of themselves. Gov Doyle didn't do Merc any favors either with comb. reporting. You know if we had a great business climate we could become the "Texas" of the north and start stealing jobs from high taxed states like IL.

Most "great business climate" states have unemployment rates higher than Wisconsin.

Unions represent workers, and there's that pesky "voting" thing to counter your argument.


Don't know how it will end, but it's just another example of corporate greed and the race to the bottom that's zapped our Middle Class.

Look for Mercury to manufacture in China, sooner or later.

Even Oklahoma can't match with 16-cent per hour labor, with zero overtime, safety, or environmental constraints- a truly "Business Friendly"
nation.

Just like the South was, pre Civil War.