Folks Of Interest Ray Brown's Superior Industries to Shut Down

290 more people are going to lose their jobs as a result of a shut down of Ray Brown's former place of employ as President. Heavy financial losses at the Van Nuys Ca. based company over the past yr to a tune of $11mil are what has caused the OEM wheel mfgr to close their doors. Lack of new retail auto sales cited as a contributing factor.

We need to invest in our own country, because if we don't there won't be a country left.

 

IT'S GETTING TOUGH OUT THERE FOR SURE. I was talking with a gal that works from Summit Racing the other day. She said it's way SLOWWWWW... No lay offs yet, but the company has asked for voluntary hourly cuts, no pay raises in 09' no bonuses, no x-mas party, etc.etc.

at least they are being up front with their associates and trying to make it work before letting people go.

 

So much for dealing in a global economy, Summit want $24.95 to write contents and value on a greens customs sticker.

 

They're not going out of business, just closing one plant.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28642760/

 

Pitts64, get a grip. That's what you think is a solution? Go to France, where they burned something like 40,000 cars in Paris last year. This is America. We don't need to protest, burn and destroy OTHER CITIZENS PROPERTY; unless you want the same visited upon you.
Want to start hanging people? Start in the house and senate.
We also don't need bailouts and higher taxes. If you thik other people are making too much money, you are in effect saying you never want to make more money than you are. If you tax "big business" as the media calls it, new companies will not be started, no new technology will come about, and the economy stagnates (which I sus[pect it will do for the next few years while people who would normal drive th eengine of indusry get taxed into oblivion).
I'd like to see someone come and try to burn my building...

 

Sorry to hear about another company have major problems and letting folks go. This was warned to us by Mr Ross Paroe!!
Remember Ross Paroe-- that gaint sucking sound he refuired to. I'll bet good money the company is going off shore...
Please buy American!

 

Storm king . . . Your telling it like it is. The politicans need to wake up. The voters ignorance in this country is appalling. Me? I'm gonna keep building!

 

There was a piece in the WSJ last year on the the squeeze that the automakers were putting on vendors like Superior. In fact, Superior was mentioned as one of the few companies refusing to set up in China even after Ford urged them to do so.

To Pitts64: please supply us with a list of countries that you think are a better place to live then the USA.

 

It's more than just one plant. They shut down a factory in Pittsburg Kansas too.

 

The Enron fiasco resulted in Regulation - Not Deregulation. Sarbanes Oxley is a classic example of our government over regulating. The mark to market accounting practice required by this law is largely responsible for the tightening credit markets that have led to the collapse of both the housing and industrial markets. No market for your services as an electrician are responsible for the fact that are no longer able to meet basic needs. Supply and demand. It is a free market system - especially in a skilled trade like your where oursourcing of labor is not an option.

I am glad that you are a proud union member - good for you. If you believe that the labor unions have a plan to help the economy recover, we would all love to hear it. All solutions should be on the table. What is it that your local - or national - is doing to help the ecomony?

 

The first sentence is absolutely true, the second sentence explains the first.

 

Unfortunately, I agree with 41Woodie - there are way too many union members doing not much and getting paid too much. The unions were necessary, and could be again, but I cannot understand why people NEED their birthday off, or why someone should be paid for a half a day's work because they came in for a few minutes. I understand that management will screw labor if they can, and that should be the union's job - ensuring that the worker gets a fair shake in the workplace. Skill level should determine pay grade - not the union. Companies cannot even fire slackers without five pounds of paperwork. When was the last time you saw a union manager ever take a cut in pay when he/she recommended that workers stage a strike? You guys get by on a pittance while you picket, yet I don't see those fatass dudes out there with you. Granted, I've been in management nearly all of my adult life, but I've had to deal with unions on a regular basis in some professions, and they're only interested in one thing - maintaining their control, and using YOUR dues for their own purposes (donations to political causes you may not agree with).

Guess now I've turned this into a political tirade and the original thrust of the thread has been left behind.

sorry
dj

 

Amen

 

I am in a union and the only time I get my birthday off is when it is on saturday, sunday and the every 7 years it is on Labor day.

I get paid for a 1/2 days work when I work 1/2 a day.

The UAW, the union I belong to has a program set up where if you want to contribute money to political campaigns, you donate extra money. Union dues do not go toward that.

As far as the place closing, there is going to be a lot more of that going on. The more people buy Chinese and Mexican made products the more jobs will be lost. That is why when you buy and item you need to research where it was made. When you buy something like a fridge have the salesperson show you that it is made in the USA. Try to find baby furniture made in the USA, only way I have found so far is to buy Amish. I will pay more for it but at least I know my kid will be sleeping in a crib free of lead paint and other toxic chemicals. I will also be supporting local labor at the same time.

 

Don'tworry. t seems like every time anyone trys to be pro American at all there is some santimonious whiner coming on admonishing us to stay 100% on topic. Might as well go to Google if that's some kind of rule. If we don't support ourselves, there will be nothing left. Notwithstanding that, HotRods are 100% Amarican too.

 

When i was a kid I didn't have the right last name to get in a union. Remember when things were like that? All my HotRods have been open shop since then....

 

As long as we are off topic, could you use a nice sign crane?

 

The rules say no politics. But a lot of folks need to blow off some steam, so let's let this thread roll awhile, ok Admin?

All this dust up about pro or anti union is just what the "big Money" in this country wants - keep our eye off the ball. The fact is there would have been no "middle class" in America without unions fighting for a fair share. I liked living in a nice neighborhood with factory workers and police officers, etc.

CEO's love to blame unions for losses - even while they pay themselves a gohzillon dollars, and jet planes.Those fuckers really don't care. If you don't want to cap exectutive pay ( anti-capitolism!), you better have a vioce at the Boardroom table or we'll all be earning Chinese wages soon.

And, next time you go to Walmart to save all that money just remember you are the reason the Chinese make everything.

Can't afford a new car? Well just lease one. Can't afford a nice safe home? Well, the Bank will help you out with a cheap teaser loan. Frankly I'm amazed that there aren't 100,000 unemployed workers in the streets of DC every day.

 

As far as the "buy American" thing, that's fine if everyone does it, but that ain't gonna happen, and you end up only hurting yourself in the end. It's not up to the individual, our leaders were supposed to have enough sense to keep this from happening. We all know that the average person could give a rats ass about buying American, especially when it's become popular to bash anything American, hell, many people think "made in America" means junk now, largely due to the media that jumps on every little thing that's wrong with America instead of taking pride in all that's right. I'm actually old enough to remember when it was the other way around.
As far as unions go, I worked in a steel mill in the 60's and couldn't believe the attitudes of the union workers there. Yes management will take advantage, but all the union did was demand more and more until it created an atmosphere of contempt that eventually resulted (in my opinion) in the collapse of the steel industry here.
And what about those who don't belong to unions? I remember coming out of work and seeing people who had worked twice as hard as me that day, and who earned only half as much. Should every worker in the country belong to a union? Look what the teachers union has done to our educational system! The worker needs a voice, but unions are no longer the answer in my opinion.
I'm self employed too, and I can't afford health insurance either, so what's the answer, give up my business and try to find a union job that pays for it? Fat chance at my age, in fact, I think a lot of the reason we can't afford insurance is because of those who have it provided for them and just don't care what anything costs. Dr's and hospitals should be held accountable for what they bill the insurance companies, but it's just easier for them to pass the cost on to the customer. This is one of the most important issues in this country right now, owning your own business is part of the American dream, and it is being taken away by the high cost of insurance, among other things.
Nothing is as simple as it seems, and there's plenty of blame to go around. You could sit here and type till your fingers bleed, and you'd barely scratch the surface.
This thread sure spun out of control, and will probably be closed before I even get this posted.

 

I certainly agree with the first statement, but all of the people I know who are making too much for doing too little have a union card in their wallet. Don't get me started about what the union does for you, I'll gladly retell the story of when I was young, newly married, one child. The experience left me with such a bad taste in my mouth for unions I vowed never to join or support one again. I'll stand on my own and represent myself, not work my ass off so some slacker that barely does his job gets the same paycheck at the end of the week.

Frank

 

I bet lots of Americans would like to "buy American", especially we, patriotic HAMB folk.

What I'd like to know?.....

Where can I find a list of consumer product's companies, that manufacture as well as get their raw material, as well as keeps their money in this country? How much time do I spend investigating EVERY SINGLE company who's products I buy?

REALLY, I will try my damned best at giving these sources my business.....assuming the prices are reasonable and the quality is there.

shoes/clothing.....groceries....appliances....computers....utility/garage....automobiles...dvds, games.....car parts.....furniture....lawn care products....carpet....medicine

 

Um, guys, the unions aren't the root of the current economic climate, it's the banking industry.
Union or not, the consumers are the ones taking it in the shorts. Again. As usual.

 

Here's some links;

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/appliances.html

http://americanmade1.blogspot.com/2007/08/american-made-furniture.html

http://www.madeinusa.org/

 

So how big a pay cut you planning to take? Millions of Chinese are saying the same thing about you right now.

 

But why is the banking industry in such trouble? It's largely because special interest groups, that is, left wing bleeding heart minority groups pressured the government, who in turn pressured the banks to make loans that they should never have been making. And predictably, all those unsecured loans eventually defaulted. My brother is in banking, his banks rating went down over the years because they refused to write loans that went beyond simple common sense. But other bigger banks had very little choice but to make loans that they knew were risky to say the least.
In a sense, the pressure group who demanded those loans and pressured the government was not much different than a union. It's time for our leaders to have the backbone to stand up to these groups, and bring common sense back to governing our country.

 

Thanks for the links. This is exactly what I'm referring to. Look at the descriptions of the products....some are partly manufactured here with parts from abroad. Some company's products are entirely made here but others in the same line (same company) are from another manufacturing facility from overseas.....

 

Here where i work we make a lot of small valves and fittings for the small engine manufactures like for garden tractors lawn mowers and other things... We even make some stuff for Tanks as in the fuel tank guys ...Were big into the harley davidson fuel tank disconnect that goes into the fuel tanks and to the injection systems.. Just before xmas we got a letter .. No 2008 bonus check .. Hell ANYONE that had any brains could see the writing on the wall.. Today got my check and another letter.. All wages have been froze for 09 and they are suspending the 401k match for all employees... Again im not supprised.. I hope we weather the storm cause it aint looking good... If you would have seen the amount of fuel fittings going out to just H/D a couple years ago VS what goes out now it would scare the hell out of you... The only thing keeping us alive is we have about 38 screw machines and some cnc shit in the other part of the plant and they are turning out parts all week long and are actually behind most of the time but these days a greater share of the parts go straight out the door... My son just lost his job in a union shop as the downsized because of the economy.. No protection at all just see ya .. Oh ya they actually yelled at a bunch of them for not working hard enuff after they told them in a week they would be gone ? Ha Ha takes balls i guess... i kinda like the deal where they took a pic of one of the head foreman sleeping in his office and hung it up on his door .... Oh ya its a jap owned business too ...
were all in a bind... Chin up move along..
Dave

 

That's fairly close; a lot of the de-regulation WAS aimed at addressing "institutional racism" within the home lending industry. However, lenders got horribly greedy, wrote very risky loans and then sold those loans to a variety of investment houses. Guess what happened next..?

 

I get a kick out of these anti union people. are you actually foolish enough to think that if the workerss got paid less and had little or no health care that the money saved would trickle down to the consumer with lower prices?

no. the fat cats at the top would get richer. nothing more.

one of the problems in this country is that unions are losing thier strength, and low skilled labor is no longer making the money like they used to, I was a Union Warehousemen for 13 years, the guys with 25- 30 years in the company made enough money back in the day to buy a house and raise familys, by the time the company was sold and "parted out" in the year 2000 new hires were starting out at a lower pay scale than people who were hired back in the 70's.

it is the loss of good union jobs that is hurting the economy, not the pay the workers get.

 

the next four years is going to be very interesting. nice to see the majority of my HAMB brothers and sisters will have thier eyes open.