Mercury Marine FonDuLac

Anyone been following the news? Wondering what peoples thoughts are. Spent some time this morning catching up on what is going on, not really sure what to think.

Sounds like there will no longer be a Mercury plant in WI by 2012

I truely hope the union uses their head, but the terms “brian and union” usually don’t go together.

This is a tough one guys. I work for Allen Bradley in Sumner, IA. A manufacturing facility of 160 people that is being moved to Mexico by Dec, 2010. IT’s not like Allen Bradley is loosing money in Sumner, they just want to make more. Bottom line, greed…

I agree that labor shouldn’t be greedy and that any job is better than no job. But what about all the upper management, CEOs, and stock holders. Where’s their sacrifice. The phrase “we have to remain competative” makes me puke. No CEO or any man is worth millons, plus their millons in bonuses.

What about our country? Does nobody have any pride in the USA any more? Is it really just about the almighty dollar?

As this country continues it’s greedy path and continues to loose thousands of manufacturing jobs every month I don’t see a long term recovery in the future, or a better quality of life for us common people…

Quote:

---

This is a tough one guys. I work for Allen Bradley in Sumner, IA. A manufacturing facility of 160 people that is being moved to Mexico by Dec, 2010. IT’s not like Allen Bradley is loosing money in Sumner, they just want to make more. Bottom line, greed…

I agree that labor shouldn’t be greedy and that any job is better than no job. But what about all the upper management, CEOs, and stock holders. Where’s their sacrifice. The phrase “we have to remain competative” makes me puke. No CEO or any man is worth millons, plus their millons in bonuses.

What about our country? Does nobody have any pride in the USA any more? Is it really just about the almighty dollar?

As this country continues it’s greedy path and continues to loose thousands of manufacturing jobs every month I don’t see a long term recovery in the future, or a better quality of life for us common people…

---

I worked at Caterpillar in Illinois in my younger days so I know how unions operate. This response is not about unions, it’s about profit for investors. Management and CEOs are hired to make a profit for their shareholders. If you are a shareholder in the company you would expect nothing less. If that doesn’t happen, new management and a new CEO are hired. If you find a CEO that has the interest of the shareholder as his top priority and turns a greater profit, he is a commodity that will be sought after by other companies. Thus, the bonuses that will keep them there. Granted, there are CEOs’ that do not deserve such great compensation compared to their production. But that is not job of unions, or for that matter, the government to control. It is the job of the shareholders of the company. If the free market was left to itself, without the interference of government or other greedy entities, I believe the problems we have today would work themselves out. Supply and demand is the greatest equalizer there is.

Not sure what “BRIAN” in the union your talking about, but “brains” and union do go together as much as “brains” and management. funny how its always the union workers who are the bad guys now when jobs are being moved or lost because they dont agree with management yet management continue to make more while the workers get less and less. remember this country wouldnt be were it is today without union workers.

Quote:

---

Not sure what “BRIAN” in the union your talking about, but “brains” and union do go together as much as “brains” and management. funny how its always the union workers who are the bad guys now when jobs are being moved or lost because they dont agree with management yet management continue to make more while the workers get less and less. remember this country wouldnt be were it is today without union workers.

---

Yeah, we’ll see how the union supports the families when Merc packs it up and moves to Ok.

Quote:

---

What about our country? Does nobody have any pride in the USA any more? Is it really just about the almighty dollar?

---

That sums it up very well, there is no pride in America when greed takes over!

Quote:

---

That sums it up very well, there is no pride in America when greed takes over!

---

That is true BTS….Greed is a sin after all….
But who decides what greed is?
After all…is not profit the very reason for being in business?…
Who would even want start their own if they were just to “break even”..where is the incentive to create something that everyone wants to use-buy?
What exactly determines greed VS profit?
This is a very slipper slope to be sure!
I hope ,whatever happens,the outcome doesn’t hurt too many innocent people.

The union will take care of them i’m sure of it. As long as they keep paying there dues and milking the poor guys. Unions had there place in forming this country but they have gotten just as greedy as the owners and upper management. Its pretty simple economics why companies our moving to different places in this country or others. I am not a union carpenter but can do the same job if not better for half the pay and still be happy making a decent living. The big three automakers are darn near out of business with there union employees and toyota and honda are thriving in there american plants. P.S. Idont hear toyota or honda workers complaining about the 50 grand a year they make on non union wages.

Yes Mudshark it is a very thin line, but the thing that gets me about this whole mess is the actions of both sides (Union said no on the first count and Merc stopped the eligible ballots on the recount at Midnight knowing they were not all cast). As a small business owner I can’t understand the Union voting themselves out of a job and I can’t see Merc hurting the people of FDL. There should be a moral line somewhere, IMO.

Quote:

---

Yes Mudshark it is a very thin line, but the thing that gets me about this whole mess is the actions of both sides (Union said no on the first count and Merc stopped the eligible ballots on the recount at Midnight knowing they were not all cast). As a small business owner I can’t understand the Union voting themselves out of a job and I can’t see Merc hurting the people of FDL. There should be a moral line somewhere, IMO.

---

I agree 100% bud…….
But ,again,who should be drawing that line?

I guess it’s over MY head….But do we really trust one entity(the government or unions or corporations) to set that line?

My head is starting to hurt now….

Quote:

---

The big three automakers are darn near out of business with there union employees and toyota and honda are thriving in there american plants. P.S. Idont hear toyota or honda workers complaining about the 50 grand a year they make on non union wages.

---

You better do some research before you post. Toyota had to get bailed out by Japanese Gov’t. So why are they having to be bailed out, they are a NON-UNION plant

Report Here

They say the recession is on its way to recovery.
I disagree. Good example is what Merc is doing here.

This country is still in grave financial trouble for the “average” man. Reason being is that Manufacturing and Mining have left this country.
There are two primary forms of generating money:
1) manufacture a product.
2) mine a product or grow a crop (oil, minerals, precious metals, corn, beans, beef, pork, etc.)

Those two things take “nothing” and turn it into “money”.

There is nothing else in this country that generates “money”.

Manufacturing has left this country and because of it, we are in trouble.
We are not allowed to drill for oil or build nuclear power plants. E-85 or ethonal is still not profitable to manufacture because of many reasons. We can’t build any new oil refineries.

So, where are we going to generate money?
Well, one way is Merc to move its manufacturing to a cheaper location, so they can turn a profit that is comparable to what China can do.

Heck, there is a thread in the outdoor forum about Jason Mitchel Rods vs. St. Croix. Both are great rods. One is significantly cheaper, the other is made in America. What does the average guy do?
They buy the China rod, just like the China TV, just like everything else they buy at Walmart……….all made in China.

What is brian and union mean? Is brian the head of the union?

I’m not sure why everybody thinks this is about GREED and not SURVIVAL. Take a look at their financial situation. Their sales have plummeted. Brunswick/Mercury Marine have laid off a lot of non-union people over the last couple years, including manufacturing and “management” type jobs. It will always amaze me how everybody worries about a union guy losing his job and who cares about the other guys. The company is trying to work something out to keep these union jobs in WI and the union has the nuts to say no? I say move the jobs and maybe Mercury Marine can stay competitive. I will not feel bad for one person who voted no. They get what they deserve. Any worker who was able to think for himself and not what the union tells him and voted yes, I feel horrible for them. The place I worked during the last recession had to lay off a bunch of people and we didn’t get raises for a couple years. We were not happy about it but the company survived and we kept our jobs. Shouldn’t that be the goal here, keeping your job? And these guys don’t want to budge? Idiots. I bet if Mercury Maricne could just kick the union to the door they wouldn’t have any problem finding non-union workers to fill those spots in WI.

There is a BIG difference in the loan Toyota took versus the bailout the “big two of three” took. Toyota was not in any danger of becoming insolvent like the US companies where, which of course they ended up being anyway. Maybe do even a little more research on why they took the loan…