Last week’s blog recommended you watch a video that concerned the plight of aviation maintenance jobs in the States. I admit and regret that I failed to know that this video is several years old and to those of you that expect more of me, apologize. It is interesting; however, that the topic is just as pertinent today, if not more than it was when the video was produced. So for those of you that have already seen it, I recommend you take a look back and see if the warning that was so credible at that time is even more accurate today. For those of you in the profession that have not seen it, please take the 10 minutes to view it. It will be to your benefit. Again, www.linktv.org/video/1513
Highlighting the prevalence of the video’s topic, I am reading today that Pratt & Whitney is closing two U.S. maintenance facilities in Connecticut causing the loss of some 1,000 jobs and a suit from the IAM. The work from one plant is being transferred to Asia, the other to Singapore through a company-owned business in Georgia. Pratt has quoted cost improvement numbers ranging from 40 percent to 170 percent lower in Japan and Singapore versus those in the States. Pratt claims it did all it could to install cost improvements at these locations. IAM offered a plan that would have resulted in almost $26M in current savings and additional savings related to overtime and process improvement. Pratt claims these saving were not quantifiable, thus the reason for the IAM litigation.
I am neither pro nor anti union. Management’s argument is that unions have priced their workers out of jobs. Union’s arguments include management’s bad long-range fiscal decisions, failing to fulfill promises, and ridiculous pay rates for the non-achieving executive level. I agree that someone who drives a forklift or cleans johns should not earn the same as skilled technicians and other accomplished workers. Nor should they be allowed to load-up overtime in their last years of work to maximize retirement pay. On the other hand, why should the loyal, hardworking labor force be liable for the self-righteous, ego building, and sometimes illegal plans and actions of management.
This is an old fight that has gone on in this country since the robber barons exploited every one they could for the sake of making a profit. True, much of the American economy was built by these entrepreneurs. Only, one has to realize it was done on the backs of under-paid, oppressed labor. We don’t need to go there anymore.
Have the unions swung the pendulum too much to one side so that in order for American companies to be competitive we need to go overseas for labor? I don’t see how we can ever compete with a country that has a standard of living that supports workers making less than $100 per month.
Does management get a carte-blanche reprieve when it comes to pp planning and ineffective execution? I know it’s not right that the lower levels reap the ignominious returns for these decisions, but can something be done about it?
What are your thoughts on these matters? Is there something more those of us in the profession can do to ameliorate the effects of these difficult financial times? Are American workers paid too much? Let us know what you think. After all each of us is riding in the same boat as we try to weather the storm.