Ahh, now we're getting to the meat of things, Chris. . .

SNIP
>
>Maybe a stupid business decision, maybe not. 100 mills in his area close? I would say that leaves a lot of skilled workers, anxious for employment, for him to choose from. So maybe his decision was really a free-trade one: he looked at a readily available skilled labor pool and saw that as the best option.

Except that he already HAD HIS labour pool sitting on their hands waiting for the mill to be rebuilt. So sure, labour availability factored into the decision, no doubt, but you simply refuse to acknowledge that it can be good to consider the well-being of your people and your town and your country as factors, attributing it in any way you can possibly link it to free trade and only free trade!

>
>And how many of those mills moved because the union demands were too high? I know that is some of the case here in Louisville, where General Electric has moved some of its refrigerator production to Mexico. The union employees, usually with just a high school education, had better pay and better benefits than more than a few Ph. Ds.

It is my belief that this is another one of those crocks aimed squarely at justifying free trade AND MOVING SHOPS.
When I can go get labour at $3.00 per DAY then ANY union wage is going to be too high! So, as the business in question, I am going to say that union demands are forcing me to relocate the shop. But the fact of the matter is that at $3.00 per day I am GOING TO MOVE THAT SHOP ANYWAY! It helps to profer an excuse that blames "those greedy workers" - the same workers who were just fine, thank you, while I was exploiting them when their exploitation was best available. And who do you think agreed to pay theose excessive union wages all along???? And how will you feel when some shop in India or Iran or the Phillipines or Russia or Bulgaria or wherever makes YOUR hourly rate look too high and puts you oiut of work????
And get serious about union wages beating a Ph.D.'s wage. You might find the isolated case, where some Ph.D. has medical conditions or is simply a smart fewllow but a lousy worker, but come on!!! It's real easy to swallow company propaganda. See it for what it is!

>
>Now, I don't care how well educated someone is. It doesn't change my opinion of them. As a matter of fact, I find the less educated someone is, the more I live them < g >. But, there are no promises in this country. A lot of those union employees have managed to make a great living without a college degree.

And so they should be criticized for that?!?!?!? Gimme a break! I'm sure you'd refuse outright someone coming along and telling you that they were going to increase your wage. And since when is it mandatory to have a college degree to make a great living! Get real. These are the mumblings of an irrational mind.

>
SNIP
>>
>>Basically the proponents of free trade simply say 'If he fails, good riddance to him because he simply couldn't cut it anyway.'. Because country and town and workers and history have nothing to do with 'business decisions' incorporating free trade. They can't, because it wouldn't be "free trade" any more.
>
>I don't think people are saying good riddance. They may be like me, and see his decision not to patent the Polartec process as maybe a sign that he is not a good business man. Doesn't mean I don't like him. But maybe business is not his forte.

There you are, stuck again on one lousy decision making up his WHOLE character. GE did say good riddance when it went to Mexico and left those excessively-demanding union folks in your area hung out to dry. You buy their line. I'd like to saee you in the same position and then see your reaction. And much as I hope you never do, I say there's a very good chance, high even, that you will. Then we'll see how one can make a decent living delivering pizzas.

>
>>As I've written before, the equation for a GOOD "business decision" has to include far more than simply total profits. Except in rare cases like this one, it doesn't.
>
>I agree that a good business decision should not be based on profit alone. But again, if this guys patents the Polartec process, we are not having this debate. Or maybe 60 Minutes spins the story and talks about how by patenting the Polartec process has cost US consumers untold millions of dollars because of lack of competion. My experience with 60 Minutes is that they don't always tell the whole story. < g >

Yep. You won't believe 60 Minutes at all but you'll swallow GE's line that excessive union demands forced closure of a viable and working concern. Not so sure who has trouble with whole storys here.

>
>>It should matter to everyone that wringing every last cent of profit out of an enterprise is the current business aim. That's free trade and "globalization", and it sucks!
>
>I don't agree that every company is like this. Take a look at Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. Aren't they touted as a responsible company that still turns a profit?

Even they, I hear, are coming under the screw of ONLY profits, as I understand it. They sold out a while back, with provisions that certain of their cultural things be continued. I understand that pressure is building already. Just like all those "mergers" where they used to say, on the day of the takeover, 'no job is in jeopardy. At this ime we intend to find ways to keep them all." Weeks later people have been ejected in huge numbers.

>
>>What it really adds up to is: 'We've sucked this area for as long as we can and now we've located a better teat and so we're now off to suck that one until we find better one. Turn off the lights as you leave. Good luck to you. No hard feelings Bye-bye.'.
>
>And you don't think that maybe, just maybe, unions became too powerful and demanded way too high pay for their members may have been part of the equation? There is no guarantee anywhere in the US of great paying jobs.

You really do have a distaste for unions, don't you!?!?! You do remember, of course, that there was/is a union at the mill in question and that there has never been a job action at the plant!
No, I'm afraid that you have been quite convinced by all of the free trade propaganda. It's got you despising unions generally and, far more subtly and probably unrealized by you, also hurting your very own country that has nurtured you and your parents and their parents... I'll keep working to help you to see the light.