Ohio Discussion > Ohio Politics
Ohio "Right-to-Work" Movement
Hts121:
You are acting under the presumption that joining a union results in a slashed salary. It is also a false presumption that union benefits are limited to wages. The phrase 'terms and conditions of employment' applies to much more than wages
gottaplan:
In recent years, globalization and the shape of the world's economy have pushed American companies — manufacturers and service providers alike — to look overseas for cheap labor. But some of these same trends may now be pushing employers to take another look at the U.S. "There's a pendulum that swings all the time," Sirkin says. "And now it is swinging back."
The rising cost of labor in China — wages in the thriving coastal regions are rising at a 15 percent clip — and the rising strength of China's currency, the renminbi, are combining to make Chinese-produced goods more expensive. Meanwhile, falling wages in the United States--thanks to high unemployment, weakened unions, and the continued growth of manufacturing in lower-cost states in the south--have helped make U.S. labor more competitive.
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/president-obama-touts-onshoring-made-america-back-221759270.html
I guess Obama is OK with weakened unions now that it's bringing manufacturing jobs back
Hts121:
What does Obama have to do with this thread? Even still, your point is not well taken
Gramarye:
I forgot one other thing that may well bring some manufacturing back to America (while also keeping a great deal more in Asia): rising transportation costs. As transportation costs increase as a share of the price of bringing a widget to market and the costs of labor decline as a share of that widget (whether in America or Asia), manufacturing closer to the ultimate destination of the project becomes increasingly competitive, on the margin.
Right now, of course, we're doing other things with transportation cost efficiency, which are also good: notably, an increasing reliance on freight rail, which is the most efficient overland form of transport for almost all solid goods. That and other upgrades to our transportation infrastructure (e.g., modern intermodal freight hubs) will allow us to continue manufacturing at a distance for some time yet. Yet we're likely to get to a point where even the best supply chain managers, even those working for the companies with the most leverage over their logistics providers, will find it cost-competitive to move some production back to the USA.
The flip side of this is that this applies to American exports, too--it will become even more cost-effective to locate production facilities in China to supply the Chinese market rather than export goods made in the USA to China or anywhere else.
cortlandgirl79:
How is joining a union "forcing" someone to slash their salaries for virtually nothing? That never was the case when I worked for a company that had a union, in fact I got some nice raises that were negotiated by my union, got more time off, etc.
Right-to-work makes sense in today's world if you want the benefits of a union w/out having to pay the dues..........
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