New Kubota Factory

[Scooby074]

There are some welds on my tractor that I have no doubt were done by a human :thumbsup:

Ditto to that.

My Bx is full of welds that a 1st year apprentice could do better. Kubota should be ashamed of the QC in their welding department. If i was to guess, the quality of these welds smacks of "piecework". Get 'em done,and get 'em out. Personally i hate piecework for the very mentality that it creates in the workforce.

 

[Martian]

Ditto to that.

My Bx is full of welds that a 1st year apprentice could do better. Kubota should be ashamed of the QC in their welding department. If i was to guess, the quality of these welds smacks of "piecework". Get 'em done,and get 'em out. Personally i hate piecework for the very mentality that it creates in the workforce.

And this is the tradeoff we pay. Option 1 we get a perfect weld but another lost job, Option 2 we get a weld that holds but isn't perfect and keep a job. Plus Option 1 is generally less.

 

[Fxfymn]

I think the Japaneese culture is what contributes to the quality of the products they produce. Its a very different enviroment.

Having spent some time in Japan I'd say that is absolutely true. I don't know if it is a written policy or not, but the Japanese government seems very intent on providing full employment for its citizens, even if it means inefficiency is perpetuated. For example I was told not to separate recyclables in the trash. Instead the trash is picked up in one truck and then dumped on the ground so a different crew can pull the recycles out of it. I watched a small building being constructed. Each day at least one, and sometimes two, supervisors stood and watched the crews. They did nothing but stand there with an occasional command to the crew.

I am old enough to remember when Made in Japan was synonymous with junk. It is not junk anymore. I am also old enough to remember when American automobiles were junk. I would stack my 2011 Chevrolet truck against any vehicle from any country in the world. That is what capitalism gets you; either build a product the consumer wants or someone else will.

I think we do as fine a job of manufacturing as any country in the world.

 

[Grateful11]

Highest-paid CEO collected $145.3 million in a year- MSN Money

After reading about this CEO making $145.3 Million Per year and some here are arguing about whether $12.00 per hour pay is to low or if $25.00 per hour is to high, this still makes me the sickest. Nobody and I mean nobody is worth that kind of money, It only means that we the people are letting this kind of outrageous abuse to continue, me included. Those welders in that new Kubota Plant should be making a competitive wage to keep and raise there family, that's not asking for to much is it?
DevilDog

$12/hour is not a living wage anymore. I made more than a dollar per hour
than that 23 years ago as a Journeyman Machinist. All most of us want is
a decent home, money to pay the bills and raise a couple kids. You can't do
that on $12/hour, you and your wife has to work, maybe one of you has to
work 2 jobs. Luckily I made enough that my wife was able stay home and
raise our 2 sons and we put them through college, with help from academic
scholarships . Unfortunately we lost our youngest son this past summer,
something I don't think I'm ever going to get over.

 

[Martian]

$12/hour is not a living wage anymore. I made more than a dollar per hour
than that 23 years ago as a Journeyman Machinist. All most of us want is
a decent home, money to pay the bills and raise a couple kids. You can't do
that on $12/hour, you and your wife has to work, maybe one of you has to
work 2 jobs. Luckily I made enough that my wife was able stay home and
raise our 2 sons and we put them through college, with help from academic
scholarships . Unfortunately we lost our youngest son this past summer,
something I don't think I'm ever going to get over.

$12/hour is simply not enough. Very well said too, don't need to make a killing to be happy.

Sorry to hear about your son, my condolences

 

[Grandad4]

Doesn't this thread just exemplify the sour mood so many people are in these days? Starts out with news about a plant opening with more jobs. Hard to be against that, but somehow we've succeeded.

A) Third-hand rumor about wages, totally unverified, (Post #11) launches an avalanche of complaints, which triggers spin-off complaints about high CEO salaries, unions and politics.
B) Then someone gripes it's not a "real" manufacturing plant because it's only doing assembly; then same person does a 180 backflip and complains that quality is sure to go in the dumper because product will no longer be made overseas.
C) Then another guy gripes that someone made bad welds on his tractor so obviously this new plant is going to be nothing but bad news.
D) Another guy comments on all the complaining and gets told to take a hike.

Sheesh. Well, here's hoping everyone has a nice holiday in whatever manner lifts your spirits. Glad for whoever finds work at that new plant or anywhere else. Hope the place is a great success. If you really have a problem with that, well Merry Christmas anyways. Cheers.

 

[Martian]

Doesn't this thread just exemplify the sour mood so many people are in these days? Starts out with news about a plant opening with more jobs. Hard to be against that, but somehow we've succeeded.

A) Third-hand rumor about wages, totally unverified, (Post #11) launches an avalanche of complaints, which triggers spin-off complaints about high CEO salaries, unions and politics.
B) Then someone gripes it's not a "real" manufacturing plant because it's only doing assembly; then same person does a 180 backflip and complains that quality is sure to go in the dumper because product will no longer be made overseas.
C) Then another guy gripes that someone made bad welds on his tractor so obviously this new plant is going to be nothing but bad news.
D) Another guy comments on all the complaining and gets told to take a hike.

Sheesh. Well, here's hoping everyone has a nice holiday in whatever manner lifts your spirits. Glad for whoever finds work at that new plant or anywhere else. Hope the place is a great success. If you really have a problem with that, well Merry Christmas anyways. Cheers.

I thought it was a nice discussion.

 

[houstonscott]

I thought it was a nice discussion.

Well, a foreign manufacture moving into America in a bigger way is not good news. It represents the decline of American manufacturing.

HS

 

[Martian]

Well, a foreign manufacture moving into America in a bigger way is not good news. It represents the decline of American manufacturing.

HS

I'm not saying all the things were good. I just enjoyed reading the discussion and very good points were brought - not all even relating. Just enjoyed the discussion.

 

[Ken45101]

"it's impossible to purchase hard goods and support a family ....... without dual incomes."

Bro - that train left the station in the 1970's. Now we're at the point where you'll need 3 wage earners to stay middle class. Here come polygamy:laughing:

I suspect it is only "necessary" to have dual incomes if you want to live high on the hog (as most people do today). Go back to how people lived on a single income 50 years ago: no air conditioning (CAR or home), hang the laundry out on the line to dry, "eating out" was a once a week as a special treat, a single car per family and I know my dad spent the weekend working on it so that it would be able to take him to work the next week, a single b/w TV in the house, no expensive electronic games and toys, no $100 sneakers or $80 bluejeans, etc. Even people "living in poverty" are living better today than a stable single wager earner family 50 years ago.

Actually I remember my dad working a full time job plus part time, plus going to night school to learn welding so as to get a better job.

Those welders in that new Kubota Plant should be making a competitive wage to keep and raise there family, that's not asking for to much is it?

I am sure that they WILL be making a competitive wage or else Kubota won't get people to apply for the job. "Competitive wage" will be met or people will go to other, better paying jobs. No other better paying jobs? Well, then it's a competitive wage. Actually I suspect Kubota will be paying slightly above the local competitive wages.

Ken