Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ret10Echo
Mind you that the social programs that these nations operate have a commensurate level of taxation....(50% of income). Both parents work full time because basically one of them is working for the state.
Can you connect the dots between the EU work load and the unions here in the U.S.?
Ever wondered what has "driven" the U.S. auto industry into the ditch?
|
Exactly.
Ever wonder why a Toyota or a Honda built in the US can be as reliable as a Japanese made variant, but a union built Dodge or Ford has parts falling off on the way off the lot due to bad workmanship and a lack of QC?
IIRC, the Big Three asked for a tarriff be slapped on the small Japanese cars in the 70s while they "retooled" to make the smaller, more efficient cars. Congress complied, and the US manufacturers immediately raised prices on all of their models the same amount as the tarriff, without changing much of anything else. I suppose you could say that gave us the Gremlin, Vega, Pinto, Maverick, and some other pretty scary cars.
A union plant gets twice the wages, gives a big chunk back to the union, and kills the goose that laid the golden egg by slapping the parts on any way they want, as they have the job for life. Or they used to, those days appear to be disappearing fast. The US workers can do the job, in a competitive (read non-union) shop, where they are held to a standard and a job is not an entitlement program.
At one time, we owned four US made vehicles. As time went by, each one gave us trouble, and was replaced in turn by a Japanese car or truck (made in the US) that has given us pretty much flawless service. Fill the tank and check the oil, kick the tires and off we go. As opposed to, take the list of things that are wrong, make a Monday service appointment, juggle vehicles, call daily, go back Friday afternoon to pick it up, write a big check, look down the list at "Not able to duplicate", "Checked okay", "Within tolerances" etc., and drive off with it doing the same thing as when you brought it in. Call all the way up to the regional service rep, who examines the vehicle, says "Yep, it sure does seem to be doing that" and tells me to learn to live with it. Last ones left here are a Dodge truck, and my Harley, which has been the most reliable of all the US branded vehicles.
You fooled me once, shame on you, no new chances to fool me again.
TR