Tractor News Kubota - Made in the USA

[Gator6x4]

When we purchase something today we do not know where all the parts of the product were made. So instead of saying, "Made In The USA", product today should say, "Assembled In The USA".

U.S. content must be disclosed on automobiles and textile, wool, and fur products. There's no law that requires most other products sold in the U.S. to be marked or labeled Made in USA or have any other disclosure about their amount of U.S. content. Complying with the Made in USA Standard | BCP Business Center

It would be interesting to see "Tractors" included in the "Must Disclose" category.

 

[300UGUY]

The focus on unions in these threads is curious. Unions only represent about 9% of the labor force. And companies off shoring production had little to do with unions, products got outsourced whether it was a union company or not. When labor costs are asymmetric as they have been, with labor costs pennies per hour in Asia, and maybe 3 dollars in Mexico, jobs are gonna go where they are cheapest.

 

[ultrarunner]

Having worked both Union and Non Union... I can see pluses on both sides.

The biggest Union Plus for me is knowing what is expected and knowing what to expect.

The Union Shop was a small Tool and Machine company... the boss was very generous on letting the Journeyman use the shop on Saturday mornings... some great projects came together.... Even after I had not worked there my toolbox was still there and I was able to fab little parts for the Hospital... always asked what I owed and whatever it was went into the shop Christmas party kitty...

The biggest surprise working in a Non Union Hospital Facility is the continual reduction in benefits... management just decides no more 401k or a use it or loose it PTO policy and that's the way it is.

Union Shops were once the rule in the SF Bay Area... very little left at all.

I will always consider Made In USA when spending...

 

[varmint]

Great topic, and one that certainly brings forth opinions! Not sure about unions driving manufacturing off shore- my understanding of Germany is that their trade balance is positive (for them) and they are much more unionized than we ever were... and their health care system, like about all of the rest of the industrialized world, is what we should hope to have here, but don't. While its true that universal, government health care can have waiting lists, lack of service and so forth, like in the UK, what isn't being said is that they also have to opportunity to purchase private insurance and care... but even those barely getting by have basic care, unlike here, where the ER's provide way too much care, super inefficiently and at great, unnecessary expense. Take away union's power, and the vacuum is filled by greedy CEO's, the 1 percenters, and the burgeoning wealth at the top, while the once middle class disappears. Better quit before I get into more trouble!

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't know...

My county has Alameda Alliance that provides Health insurance for those of little means...

My European friends marvel at children from very low income families living on Section 8 getting a million dollars worth of surgeries at no cost for a heart defect at the nation's top hospitals... these are Doctors and nurses in from Germany, Austria and the UK...

One of the women I work with is a UK trained eye Doctor and she simply says the system is different... in the UK, many shun the basic universal coverage and pay extra to see their own doctors or simply pay out of pocket... whereas it is true a person needing glasses will eventually get them... it can take months or longer.

Another difference is much of the coverage is biased towards those that are young through their working years and is sharply curtailed for the elderly.

By that as it may... we now have the affordable Healthcare Act which means everyone will be covered under penalty with a sliding premium scale based on income...

 

[Fluid]

No one's said a word about (dumping) and what it has done to the US manufacturing base over the last 30 to 40 years. People can talk about how workers dress and look, but whats that have to do with people buying anything but american over the last 30 to 40 years, to the point that america doesn't have a manufacturing base anymore? When things were made here people said the japanese make the best so the company's went off shore, now its why doesn't the US make anything here. Everyone that bought japanese in the days when it was (The thing to do) are the ones that help put the US in the spot it's in now. I'm sure our grandkids will be better off now that they won't have to have the jobs that where thrown away in the last 4 decades, jobs that paid high taxes that paid for our infrastructure, armed forces, and all the other things taxes pay for. Think about it.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ And look how Japan has fared... don't here so much about them these days.

 

[Fluid]

^^^ And look how Japan has fared... don't here so much about them these days.

Their labor force said no more slave wages so the work went to Korea, China. The big companies don't care who gets the low wages, But we still have a broken manufacturing base here in the US. I don't care if Japan falls off the face on the world, I care about my country and the future of my grandkids.

 

[MHarryE]

Quality - auto buyers haven't gone foreign because of price. The owners talk about the quality, reliability. During the 1980's the company at which I worked went all out to duplicate the Japanese quality method, championed after WWII by American Edwards Deming. I ended up taking more Deming lecture series (videos shown in our cafeteria every noon for daily refresher). Using the methods we realized how bad our quality really was. Our machinists (this was a union shop) went far beyond expectations to produce outstanding parts once they learned, and suppliers who wouldn't change were replaced. Quality shot upward and the pieces of bankrupt Allis-Chalmers are now alive in AGCO. I wouldn't know if the same processes are in place because I left for more money - I can be bought.

Health care - say what you want but I spent 3 years living in France and our medical needs were taken care of immediately and for no cost. Later I injured myself in Norway guiding a final drive into place. I gritted my way through it not wanting to visit a doctor in a country where I was an engineering observer and possibly not supposed to be working so I waited until I returned to the US and saw the workman's comp doctor. After analyzing my MRI he declared me a fool for not immediately going to a Norwegian hospital where the care exceeds anything they could do for me in the US, and at no cost because I was legally in Norway. As it is I lost the use of 25% of my left arm the doc said could have been repaired over there immediately.

Obamacare increasing costs? During the time between 2000 and when I took early retirement in 2009 the portion I paid for insurance jumped every year, by as much as 40%, benefits were reduced! co pays were increased. They stabilized at the 2008 rate until I reached Medicare age. Funny thing how so many people around me struggle with hip and knee pain until they reach Medicare and then visit regularly until their problem joints are replaced. I don't know if you would really call Medicare socialized medicine since I paid premiums for 44 years. Still it is listed as an entitlement. Entitled? Darn right! I worked my butt off for those 44 years.

 

[BlacknTan]

I care about my country and the future of my grandkids.

AMEN, Brother!!!