Anti-union Hogs

from In These Times;




Leader of the Pack: Harley Begins to Take Public for Ride Against Union

Friday
May 21
12:36 pm

By Roger Bybee


Harley-Davidson has branded itself as a Milwaukee icon, drawing on the city's blue-collar, rough-and-tumble image to establish "authenticity" for its retro-looking motorcycles. Harleys are widely viewed as macho products made by macho guys and gals.

While other Milwaukee-born corporations have off-shored most of their employment to Mexico, Harley Davidson stands out from the rest. Johnson Controls, Rockwell, Briggs & Stratton, Master Lock, Badger Meter, and AO Smith all employ more workers in low-wage Mexican plants than in the Milwaukee factories where their original fortunes were generated through generations of workers' toil.

But now Harley has decided to join in the extortion game, threatening to move 1,400 of Harley's 1,500 manufacturing jobs to another U.S. site unless Milwaukee workers concede to $54 million worth of wage and/or benefit cuts.

WHOSE HANDS ARE ON THE DETONATOR?

But as has become customary among sophisticated corporations in Wisconsin (e.g., Mercury Marine last year), Harley has worked hard to persuade the public that it is the workers and the United Steelworkers—not company management—who have their hands on the detonator. The workers, not the corporate executives, will supposedly determine the fate of the Milwaukee operation. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6021/leader_of_the_pack_harley_begins_to_take_public_for_ride_against_union/

Now? Fuck 'em.

If you want to see an example of that, just mention teachers' unions here on DU. Teachers' unions are being held up as the reason education "reforms" -- read that privatization or merit pay tied to the almighty test -- can't go forward. They make it sound like teachers don't want accountability which isn't the case.

Whatever... it's time for all union members to stand together.

wondering what happened, and that applies to so called white collar workers too that are too ignorant to realize the unions brought them the benefits they often enjoy. This country is so uneducated about so many things it's actually quite remarkable... one dumbed down place.

A lot of white collar workers and professionals think this does not affect them. But, if most of your income is in wages paid to you for work, it affects you.

I couldn't agree with you more.

Don

K&R!

Like the other corporations they suck.

Some people have a near religious feeling toward the Harley Davidson motorcycle. I see no justification for this. I guess if they had to tell me I wouldn't understand, lol.

I think the temptation from the non union folks is just too great for them.

It's time for union members to unite and rise up against this crap.

Personally, I am SICK AND TIRED of this 'blame the victim' crap! Oh, our corporate hands are tied! It's up to the employees to determine the fate of our operations..... BULLSHIT! WHOSE HANDS ARE ON THE DETONATOR??? Damn good phrase!

We Americans have been asked to shoulder entirely too much of the burden in this fucked up economy.

Another poster on this thread had it right, we need to unite!

for the same 'detonator' button to be brought back out of the drawer by the corporate heads,
since it worked so well for them last time? My guess - 18 to 24 months.

And the corporate blackmail begins!