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I don't see the whole RTW thing happening. 10 years ago, there was a major push to move shop to RTW. .
I do agree much of the closed shop to RTW already happened. But is it over-no. Consider UTC (United Technologie) has told analysts they are in sync with their concerns regarding lowering the percentage of their jobs in high cost states. They purchased $21 mill of land in Ga during a Sikorsky strike last decade, and today, Sikorsky employs more people outside Ct, than in Ct, with UTC headquartered in Hartford, Ct. They are doing a lot of work in Florida formerly done in Ct.
I do agree much of the closed shop to RTW already happened. But is it over-no. Consider UTC (United Technologie) has told analysts they are in sync with their concerns regarding lowering the percentage of their jobs in high cost states. They purchased $21 mill of land in Ga during a Sikorsky strike last decade, and today, Sikorsky employs more people outside Ct, than in Ct, with UTC headquartered in Hartford, Ct. They are doing a lot of work in Florida formerly done in Ct.
Yes, but if higher paying employment opportunities disappear in the north, and are replaced with lower paying jobs, wouldn't it stand reason that the COL in the north may drop? You can't sustain a higher COL if incomes simply won't sustain it.
I also know a lot of higher paying jobs are indeed staying. I don't have any statistics to display this, but I do know the big three in Michigan are busier than ever. The firm my brother works for has been busier than ever installing automated lines for General Motors, and they are in desperate search for engineers with the right background. These are not necessarily degreed engineer positions either. Around 50% of them at my brothers firm are "engineers" by title, but have earned the title through work experience as opposed to tradition education. My brother holds an associates degree in engineering, obtained through community college, and was lucky enough to enter the workforce 4 years before the recession. He is now designing and installing the software for many of these automated lines, and travels all over Michigan regularly. I would say they are more akin to a skilled trade than a white collar profession, and many companies are screaming for them.
Tool and die has also made a rebound. My uncle was seeing offers in the range of $30-$35/hr just this year. I know many T&D makers that have left the profession years ago, only to have returned in the past 2-3 years. Many of the foreman I have talked to are saying there is a severe shortage of them, with no possibility of resolving itself in the next decade. They can offer $1000/hr and it wouldn't make any difference. They are simply not there in the numbers the companies need. I can tell you, most of the T&D work done today is achieved through modern means such as CNC machining, but also requires the old school knowledge and skillset for some parts of the operation. Also, old school skills are often required for the finishing work and for the ever popular "tool and die repair". Again, the shortage of these skills is what is holding much of the growth potential back in the north. Many have either left these professions over the years, or moved down south for the work. Some even went to work in Mexico and China to train the next generation of these skilled trades. The south is not immune to these factors by any means.
Michigan is also home to many of the battery makers for the new electric cars. The wages are around $14/hr to start. Not sure if they are union or not. Michigan is also home to many machine makers used in the new ultra modern manufacturing environments. The Durr ecoclean system used at my last shop was manufactured in Michigan. Many companies have set up shop, including Michigan, take advantage of the new wage structure I believe. It is, for better or worse, turning into a slave wage state, and that will only increase as Rick Snyder set limits on the number of years a family can remain on welfare. No more career welfare recipients in Michigan, as everyone who was on these programs has had their benefits suspended until they plead their case to have them reinstated. Upon being granted welfare status once more, the clock starts ticking until they will end permanently. Corporations will definitely be interested in taking advantage of such a turn of events, especially considering the volume of trained workers who can make a transition of production possible.
Basically... Things are not static, as I have highlighted.
God help us if the unions ever become popular again. Look at the states with more workers in unions and look at those states that are right to work states. The right to work states are doing much better. Unions were not all bad when they grew and prospered. Workers didn't have all the safety regulations and work place rights that are now theirs by means of the legal system. Unions in the last 40 have lost their purpose. Now they just force employers to hire too many workers, impeed efficiency, and their dues are used to bolster Democratic party. Union members have no choice in the matter where their political contributions go. Not only that but many unions are run only to make the leaders rich, not to support the workers who pay dues. Also, lots of union money has gone to organized crime.
22 dollars an hour to flip burgers. So in your mind a person who is probably not a high school graduate, deserves to earn a little more than your average new college grad should earn.
The real question is this:
Could you imagine an America with even fewer jobs? Support unions.
Unions destroy jobs because they support the lazy and incompetent. If unions weren't opposed to good and rational business practices, I would have no problem supporting them.
In short, there are today BUSINESS Bottom Line rationales for most of the laws you fret about, which makes the original basis of the law a MUTE point.
Business lobbies for so called "tort reform" which would limit the ability of people to sue businesses. If business can legislate back the ability to work cheaply and unsafely they will. Plus we have the fact that businesses continue to work unsafely regardless of your alleged bottom line rationales. Had the BP oil blowout been a union job the union would've shut the job down long before the accident which besides polluting the Gulf killed 11 workers. Note too the several recent coal mine accidents in which workers were killed because of company negligence and apathy.
It's my experience that in industrial construction contractors are more stringent about safety around Chicago than they are in Tennessee and Mississippi. (After 35 years in a union trade in Chicago I spent several years as a construction safety consultant, I'm fairly well informed when I make assertions.)
There are also labor laws that protect worker's rights to be paid, get overtime pay, have workman's comp and unemployment insurance and other issues not related to safety. Business interests would love to get rid of those.
Businessmen haven't turned into nice guys all of a sudden.
Yes, but if higher paying employment opportunities disappear in the north, and are replaced with lower paying jobs, wouldn't it stand reason that the COL in the north may drop? You can't sustain a higher COL if incomes simply won't sustain it.
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I doubt COL would drop much. What would happen is the formerly solid middle class in high COLs would become lower middle class at best. Plus, for more insightful numbers, view a regions median wage, not its mean. If there is a CEO making 1 mill, plus 10 employees at 90,80,55,40, 30, and 20k, respectfully, the median income is 55k (3 above and below him). The mean adds up the incomes of 1.315 mill, and divides by 7, so its mean income is 187.9k.
The point I'm trying to make here is that we really could dramatically raise our overall standard of living if the low-paid service workers were able to unionize like the factory workers did a century ago, and the economy would boom for generations to come with all that extra money everybody would be making.
Except that it was the union wages that initiated the migration of jobs overseas to begin with. The days of unions are over.
People do not need someone else to do their thinking and bargaining for them. They are actually better off if they just keep themselves informed and vote.
We got where we are by abdicating our power and letting ourselves be side-tracked by distractions that don't matter.
I the 75% that currently do not vote informed themselves on the issues, instead of letting others take the initiative we would take back government from special interest groups. If we demanded our Representatives and Senators acted on our behalf, or were ousted, we wouldn't have the situation we are in, now.
of course they can, but the young people y generation people must use them to fight for their right to get a job (just like the french). they must use them to stop offshoring and illegal hiring. but if mom & pop are paying the rent and grocery bill why would they do that?
something to think about when old dad hires Pepe again to mow the lawn while unemployed junior sits on the couch whining about the job market.
Business lobbies for so called "tort reform" which would limit the ability of people to sue businesses. If business can legislate back the ability to work cheaply and unsafely they will. Plus we have the fact that businesses continue to work unsafely regardless of your alleged bottom line rationales. Had the BP oil blowout been a union job the union would've shut the job down long before the accident which besides polluting the Gulf killed 11 workers. Note too the several recent coal mine accidents in which workers were killed because of company negligence and apathy.
Businessmen haven't turned into nice guys all of a sudden.
IT was NEVER about being nice guys. They want profit, and safety CUTS their costs. Are there rogues-sure? Always will be, but unions do not increase safety amongst rogues. They just shut down the shop, and move elsewhere.
Except that it was the union wages that initiated the migration of jobs overseas to begin with. The days of unions are over.
People do not need someone else to do their thinking and bargaining for them. They are actually better off if they just keep themselves informed and vote.
We got where we are by abdicating our power and letting ourselves be side-tracked by distractions that don't matter.
I the 75% that currently do not vote informed themselves on the issues, instead of letting others take the initiative we would take back government from special interest groups. If we demanded our Representatives and Senators acted on our behalf, or were ousted, we wouldn't have the situation we are in, now.
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