| Click to Post a New Message!
Page [ 1 ] |
|
|
|
one theory on Jobs
As I lay around the house recovering from back surgery I realize how fortunate my wife and I are, to be American, to be employed, and to be insured. Yet, all of the "good" benefits hang in a precarious balance of job security. As an aerospace engineer I've recently watched as a significant portion of my life's work went into the trash bin of military politics with the demise of the RAH-66 Comanche. It was to be an "all American" manufactured aircraft, now it is just so much history.
Adding insult to injury, my employer has an insurance company monitor sick time, they affix an amount of time for each type of surgery: they say five weeks recovery time for my operation, the doctor says ten. I had to get written permission from the insurance company to be out seven and a half weeks, well short of what the surgeon wanted, and well within the amount of sick days I've earned. The reason? The high cost of my benefits package. The package, earned through a quarter century of excellent service, has to be withdrawn over a period of five years until there are no paid benefits at all.
The corporation's position is clear: lean manufacturing and a desire to end paid benefits to maximize profit will force me into early retirement, and buy the services I perform from some other source. Not necessarily a foreign source, they do hire many domestic "job-shops," with far less efficiency and zero loyalty, to do the same work. Is it any wonder that I refuse to let go of the family landscape business? My employer wants to "rid" itself of the majority of workers and only maintain a cadre of supervisors, managers, and directors (these special employees will have paid benefits) and who will manage the out-sourced workers, be they professional or skilled labor. They have no plan to stop manufacturing American products, only to end the traditional American employer-employee relationship. In the not too distant future, paid health insurance and other such benefits will be a thing of the past, and the wonderful era of the American worker, like the "Made In America" product, will eventually also be a thing of the past.
|
|
 Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
one theory on Jobs
Everyone who responded here has a valid point. Money drives technology as much as technology advances society. Many American's who think of the man who owns a tractor, thinks of that man as a stereotype. Perhaps, at best, a hayseed, lacking in intellect and earning his pay through drudgery. As those who posted here prove, that image is false. I am proud to tell my friends about this site because of the depth of the discourse, and the quality of the people who share this forum.
Education of the buying public will, I am afraid, come too late. So long as the products that are sub-standard, shoddy, ill-fitting, or just plain wrong continue to be purchased in sufficient quanities, the cycle will continue.
The suffering brought home by the events of Setember 11, 2001, should have been sufficient to awaken America's resolve. But it has not. ENRON, and the others that failed, should have been sufficient to put into motion the wheel of change. That has not happened to any great extent that I am aware of. So the public keeps on spending that shrinking paycheck on, well, for lack of a better word, garbage.
It is always dangerous to speak for others, however, the others I am speaking for now have gone on record in this forum as being dollar wise, acutely aware of the work required to earn a day's pay, and how easy it is to lose that pay if not careful. Our fellow North American's included, it is the person who wants to be an educated buyer, a person who wants to be efficient in work, a person who want's to be safe, that is the person who comes here. A far more enlightened bunch than the porker filling up on super-size meals or the latte slurping narcisus who thinks freedom is free for the taking.
I'd much rather spend my time on a tractor, or talking to you guys, then spend a night at Planet Hollywood. You guys are for real!
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
one theory on Jobs
Dear JeffR, how true. When I started on the program, Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX) in 1981, the projected quantities were for 10,000 single pilot scout gunships and 7000 min-utility (like Black Hawk only all composite and smaller). The cold war was still raging and Europe expected that the Red Hordes would be pouring through the Fulda Gap by the mid 90's. When the Soviet Union fell, the military's objectives and planning changed immensely. A good thing because the Mission Equipment Package (MEP) was never fully up to expectations, that is why the aircraft grew to tandem seating to share the workload. The utility aircraft was dropped outright. As you pointed out, the program dragged on and on anyway. Some of this was due to the Army, a lot due to Sikorsky, and some due to our State political agenda who truly desired to keep workers employed.
The aircraft, as it is today is a remarkable milestone in aviation history, and however advanced it may be, it is still a reflection of the Cold War. There is no doubt that it would have value on the battlefield, but at a cost the tax payer can barely afford. That price tag is enormous, and the work is still under development until the contract runs out late this fall. The existing aircraft will no doubt fly as technology demostrators destined for static display in Ft. Rucker's aviation museum. Another factor which led to the Army's about was are the lessons from our fighting in Somalia which focused attention on the frailty of even the most robust of helicopters, the UH-60L, and the ease with which a single soldier armed with an rpg could defeat it.
Be that as it may, the manufacturing segment of industry, especially in America, is determined to reduce its reliance on domestic labor. This may be a natural evolution of business, it is in my opinion, a horrible error. While the profit margin may widen making the sharholder happy, sooner or later, the circle will close because the consumer will no longer be in a position to make a purchase. Is it so hard to see that the consumer is also the worker who builds the product, be it tractors, cars, aircraft or whatever? A service based economy is doomed to failure. Period.
Somewhere in time, those who lead our industry must realize that slow capital growth will win in time, over the get-rich-quick mentality aberrations like the "Dot Coms," and when that happens maybe we will have financial equilibrium. The world stock market hangs in a precarious balance that can be easily tipped over the edge by a small handful of suicidal holymen. But before equilibrium can happen, things will have to get much worse. What we are seeing, and what you all have witnessed, is a transformation of culture which will eventually end in the need for this nation to have a second chance. Hopefully, we will get it right this time.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
one theory on Jobs
Hi Murph, this is Ted, a man with a long memory, and a student of history. It was Canada that joined America to fight the horrors of two World Wars. It was Canada that joined the fight against communisim in Korea. It was Canada that remained vigilant and helped protect our northern flank during the long Cold War. Despite the ignorance and arrogance of many an American, that Canada was only safe harbor for desserters and draft dodgers, it was Canada (and Austrailia) who joined the battles of Viet Nam - as proof of Canada's sacrifice, the North Wall Canadian Viet Nam War Memorial stands as a tribute.
It is Canada today that has opened a dialog between Viet Nam and the United States, when American diplomacy failed. It was Canada that stepped immediately up to the order of the day after 9/11 to help America in every way possible: Air Combat Patrols, RCMP Intelligence, border crossing security, and rescue and relief efforts. It was also Canada to our aid once again, when America and our allies sought to oust Sadam, even at the cost of Her son's lives to "friendly fire."
Canada's blood runs through our veins, Her blood spilled on common ground in common causes, shoulder to shoulder with America. Our debt to Canada will never be fully paid, but the kind of recognition for her friendship, care, and bravery, that I show here, is a start. God Bless Canada!
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
one theory on Jobs
Amen, and you are welcome, always,
Teddy
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Page [ 1 ] | Thread 80455 Filter by Poster:
5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 |
|
()
Picture of the Day
jarankin
Unanswered Questions
Active Subjects
Hot Topics
Featured Suppliers
|
Gas Generator Weather Protecti
03-20-2004, 16:40 
Digg It 
Del.icio.us