Working in the Automotive Industry
Working in the manufacturing sector of what was once the Big Three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) is a slow walk to a quick death. Admittedly I'll probably get nary a soul who will feel sorry for my plight or that of my peers. It seems now more than ever there is almost a national sentiment that we are getting our just dues. My colleagues and I have sensed for many years the perception that we are overpaid relative to other occupations. I find that more and more opinion pieces on the matter believe that foreign manufacturers build better quality and limit the obtrusiveness of the union mentality. Most people it seem feel some sort of giddiness at the ever-growing gloom of the domestic manufacturer. People simply feel that purchasing that Honda, Toyota, Nissan or KIA does not affect them. Tell that to the people of Michigan! The economy in the region ranks near the bottom in nearly all categories. Foreclosures, small business closings, bankruptcies, joblessness are at all-time highs. Much of these facts are directly related to the elimination of these jobs. Is the end in sight? Sadly for many of my colleagues it has hit close to home.
I have witnessed first hand, people that I've worked closely with get walked out the door, with security guards and boxes in tow. Their security badges are recovered with the cold assertion that they are no longer needed, wanted or useful. Just like that, no advance warning, no positive affirmation that it is merely a downward trend and that they will soon be back on their feet. These jobs are now being done for half the cost, somewhere half way across the world, in India, China and even closer to home in Mexico. When will it end? When will people that don't even think they have anything to do with the auto industry realize the profound impact of their choices? Sadly, people still do not understand the ramifications of purchasing the supposed higher quality of that Toyota Camry.
It's all about cause and effect. Have you ever heard that old saying that as GM goes, so does this country's economy? For better or worse it still holds true. Our manufacturing sectors have been our lifeblood since before both World Wars. When the industry flourishes, especially here in the Midwest, so does the economy. People that work in these sectors, reinvest many of those dollars right back into the economy. They purchase homes, expensive electronics, vacation property, big-ticket items like boats and other recreational vehicles. When their jobs are cut, the artery that feeds the heart of the economy is severed. The big three employers, when business is humming, reinvests in it's communities at tenfold of what any of the foreigners do. It is at this point that the contrarian will state that many of the foreign manufacturers employ locals, like in Tennessee, Alabama and other less union friendly environs. That these folks give back to the economy just like those in the Midwest. Maybe to a degree, but on average they make less, and have less confidence in the stability of their jobs. These people save more, spend less. Not as good for our economy.
When tragedy strikes, like 911. Which companies do you think gave billions to local charities? The Big Three. Which companies do you think are more worried about sending much of their excess profit and income back to their mother-land instead of re-investing in the country that allows them to garner such riches? Where do you think all of the R&D and high profile jobs are in these foreign companies? We won't even get into the uneven playing field that allows them free entry to out market, while entry into their markets is much more costly.
It's really simple, yet people don't see it or want to see it. They'd rather feign indifference, or defend their choice to purchase what they feel is a superior product (which in many instances is equal or even lesser quality). The end is near, the economy is failing and we have nobody to blame but ourselves. When I see a builder complaining that he can't sell his homes, while he drives off in his Lexus, I'll just shake my head. When my private practice doctor complains that he is losing the majority of his regular patients because they don't have affordable health care, as he zooms off in his BMW, I'll just say I told you so! In the meantime, we'll keep our heads up and try to build more products that people want (higher quality and better gas mileage) let's just hope it won't be too late!
