After 107 years in Milwaukee, Harley could leave

[wildchild]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

I think HD would put their manufacturing operations in Afganistan before they'd put it in Michigan. Which I'd fully support.

I don't see HD moving overseas but I could see HD moving away from the North or other strong union areas. If I was HD I'd probably try to set shop up in SD near Sturgis to kind of keep that Harley nostalgia. But if not there somewhere in the South would be the best choice.

I did go to Wisconsin in late June to check out Summerfest in Milwuakee and I have to say that city seemed pretty cool. Granted I was only in the touristy area but enjoyed walking through the city. I'd love to do those bar hoping boats. But once I left that area I could tell that the town was probably a shit hole. But still it had a very cool vibe to it. Atlanta doesn't have anything really worth noting.

going on one of those boats tomorrow. and yeah 5 miles down the road is the most violent neighborhood in wisconsin. we pick up bullets in our parking lot at work regularly.

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by Mudpuppy

think what you want i know who is building their plant in india right now and like i said i have the exact address in india of said plant.. so try to tell me i don't know the facts.. and they are building a new plant in the U.S. with more automation = less people.. so i am not "kind of right about india".. yes they have used the whole we are building bikes to sell in india bs to spin it but its bullshit.. they are already using off shore parts for their bikes.. HD is a spin master.. believe what you want..

Drama queen.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

I think HD would put their manufacturing operations in Afganistan before they'd put it in Michigan. Which I'd fully support.

I don't see HD moving overseas but I could see HD moving away from the North or other strong union areas. If I was HD I'd probably try to set shop up in SD near Sturgis to kind of keep that Harley nostalgia. But if not there somewhere in the South would be the best choice.

I did go to Wisconsin in late June to check out Summerfest in Milwuakee and I have to say that city seemed pretty cool. Granted I was only in the touristy area but enjoyed walking through the city. I'd love to do those bar hoping boats. But once I left that area I could tell that the town was probably a shit hole. But still it had a very cool vibe to it. Atlanta doesn't have anything really worth noting.

That's just like St. Louis or Detroit. Tons of cool places & things to do downtown, but venture a few blocks out, and it turns to shit. Atlanta on the other hand has no reason to go downtown at all -- it's pretty much dead that I recall, except for that ghey underground mall. The suburbs are where the only action is. But then you have to battle all the traffic.

[caveman]

Originally Posted by KSGregman

Unionized labor...gotta love it.

Union: Of course I deserve $30 bucks an hour and benefits!!

Manufacturer: Dude, you push a fucking broom on the shop floor

Union: Pay me or I'll strike!!! (Again)

Manufacturer: Um....fuck off. I'll go hire Sanchez in Mexico...Ravi in India or Xi in China....anyone of them are willing to work harder than you and for a fraction of the salary you extort from me

Union: Greedy big business is killing the working man!!

Me: Um....you've had the goose that lays the golden eggs in a fucking choke hold for YEARS and you've finally succeeded in killing it. Congratulations.

Ok, here we go.
Unions are killing the industries??? What about white collar, office brats that do the "thinking" of the company to make the "company" more money? BULLSHIT, they are sucking off the corporate American tit just as bad if not WORSE than that of the Union worker.
Take DTE Energy for example. Our CEO and the top ten execs suggested a raise for themselves this year : they DOUBLED thier fucking salaries!!!! CEO banked $1mil last year as a salary, now he makes $2 mil. and the other top 10 were doubled as well. Yet during our contract negotiations they opened with a healthcare change that would more than double what we pay out of our checks each month, increase our co-pay by 45%, reduce pentions for current retirees and reduce with future possible elimination of said pention. Oh, and medical once retired for my tier of workers - GONE, NON-EXISTANT, FINITO, NO MORE. And that was just the health care portion. No COLA raises either, as well as some other concessions that I have forgotten as we have ratified a contract that due to the negotiations that lasted 2 months have corrected, with everything pretty much staying the same with some acceptable levels of increase in the healthcare areas and still get some raise, that is actually a raise after the rate hikes in medical.
The white collar, non-rep peeps have been working in perks for themselves, too over the years. Take for example the golden parachute clauses when a company exec gets fired or quits he still gets these exorbitant payments that are almost better to keep his sorry ass than fire or let him quit. Not to mention the REDICULOUS salaries that they get payed for sitting behind a desk and drawing up sorry ass plans for this or that project even though they know it will get shot down to help which ever exec's turn it is to shine in the lime light. There is no survival of the fittest in corporate society any more they all take turns on the tit. Taking extravagant "Business Trips", in jets that get them there the fastest, that could be done with a little thing called, Teleconferrencing.
I don't see how anyone can sit there and blame the problems of labor costs solely on the union worker. I understand that the union has to protect the jobs of even the sorriest dirtbag that doesn't pull his weight. But, what about that one time when the really good worker, who is human, who is falible, who is always on time, always ready to do the job, always ready put in his share of the work and then some, screws the pooch on something and really deserves the protection so the company doesn't string him up by his balls, "as an example to the rest of ya." There is blame everywhere in the problem, but don't rest it completely on the union man's shoulders.
The post above with the broom pushing reference, could it possibly be the 28 year man that is not all that well put together any more and only needs a couple more years till retirement and still deserves that $30/hr pay that he has been getting for the past 7-10 years? If not then let him retire early with the top 3 years pay as a retirement average. Make things plausible and acceptable to these oldtimers. Life is hard in the factory and you put in 30 years in there only to retire and die 5 years later. Thats one thing that has changed, the retirees are living longer and the extended pensions are whats killing the companies driving cost up. If you want that to change then go ahead and vote in those said Democrats and help get that Obama care voted in and make the old folks the responsibility of all people that PAY TAXES, in a different round about way other than paying higher cost for certain luxury items that you want. You can still buy the little piece of shit small econo-class cars and replace them every 5-6 years cheap. You don't NEED the $45K, gas guzzling, road hoggin SUV. Or use, oh no he's gonna say it, "PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION." Or buy the small trimmed down house that has a small carbon footprint. Rather than the HUGE, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath, great room, den, professional kitchen, dining room, breakfast nook, 3 car garage, in-ground pool, on a postage stamp lot, mansion.
People are living way above their means, and can't figure out why the economy is tanking. We buy "EVERYTHING" on CREDIT. Then we realize oh no we can't afford to pay for the Lincoln, the Mansion, the boat, the motorcycles, the 4wheelers, the ........but let me hire this really good bankruptcy lawyer and wash my hands of this debt. Yeah my credit will be screwed for 7 yrs but he will make it so I can keep all my shit.

So I guess all of this stems from just ONE evil in society.............
KILL ALL THE FUCKING LAWYERS

[smileyman]

Whoa...

[Kaneman]

Caveman for mothafuckin' President!

[z06boy]

I can't really disagree with caveman's post...several valid points.

I still hate unions...but they obviously are NOT the only problem in today's business world.

[smileyman]

Problem identified, practical implementable solutions anyone?

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Drama queen.

fuck you asshole.. quite a few of you are stupid motherfuckers.. i was in a meeting this morning about this whole deal.. you only hear what you want.. go fuck yourself and then do us all a favor and die..

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by goof2

Relax, I never said you didn't know the facts. I wrote that what I was posting was my opinion and not fact. It didnt' refer to your post at all. In my opinion Harley building motorcycles overseas that are meant for the American market makes no sense. That doesn't mean they won't do it, just that, again in my opinion, it would be stupid of them to do so.

sorry misunderstood your post.. I thought you were saying the opposite..

I don't see how it doesn't make sense? Labor and material is cheap as fuck in India.. they claim they are building bikes in India for India to avoid import fees, etc. Which is bullshit.. who the fuck in india is going to buy a $30k harley? Answer - a small percentage. Not enough to build a factory there that's for sure. The people there are just now moving out of cardboard boxes into 200 square foot apartments and buying $3,000 cars. They are starting to use cell phones. So think about it - if they can barely afford that shit why would they buy a Harley? If you watch Slumdog Millionaire remember this - that was filmed in the "nice" areas of India - Mumbai - financial capital and New Delhi - capital. Anywhere outside of those two areas makes the worst ghetto in America look like a plush neighborhood.

It seems like if you piece it all together its a scheme by HD to make some quick money and a select few get their golden parachutes..