I am so tired of people trying to pull their neighbors down instead of doing what they can to raise to their level. Just because you are jealous over the fact that a lowly factory worker can make good money does not mean that they do not deserve it! Not all factory work is the same and for someone like TB to try and say it is not deserved because they themselves worked in a couple of factories does not make it so. I myself have worked in some factories and yes there are jobs out there that only deserve minimum wage at best. But a lot of these men and women do work hard and deserve every penny they make! Also as I pointed out, it is in fact skilled labor making the $27/hr. The unskilled labor makes anywhere from $12-$20 or so depending on a. the job and b. when they were hired in. And even most of the unskilled labor is actually more skilled than not. Can just anyone work on their own cars? No because not everyone is mechanically inclined.
Another thing, when people are compensated well for the work that they do then quality tends to be higher. Look at what is happening in the auto industry today. So many of these recalled cars come from where? Union shops? No, they are coming out of non-union southern states where the pay wage is much lower and benefits are lacking. You want quality you make a worker feel like it's worth that added effort to do a good job and will take pride in the product they produce instead of just going in and doing the bare necessities in order to collect that measly paycheck. Say what you will about unions but they have done a lot of good for this country.
Let me also say that either Petras is a liar or he needs to hire new staff. When people in your company have taken it upon themselves to make a viable LED, something to save countless jobs (not to mention is a product that is more green than CFL's), something like that should not be overlooked! And obviously he is aware of it now and chooses to discard the idea. Bottom line is China makes things cheaper and that means more money in the stockholders pockets. So yeah, "How much money is enough?"
penguinbird,
there's gonna be a whole lot of broken bulbs then!
justsayin,
I agree that the math was exaggerated. And I appreciate the fact that you have been patient and waited till you could afford to move up. So many today feel they are entitled to things without having to work and wait. I apologize for getting my back up, I just got frustrated that you latched on to that and missed all the other pertinent points that sotired made.
Oh let me add that my husband works very hard for that 27/hr. He is exposed to countless hazardous chemicals daily. His body has taken a beating over the last 12 years that it would not have otherwise had as a paper-pusher or heck, even a lot of other factory work. But he goes to work daily GRATEFUL for his job and the ability it affords him to take care of his family.
Oh and justsayin... It is possible someone making 27/hr could QUALIFY for a 300k house loan but making the payments would be a whole other issue. If you only wanted to have a ridiculously priced house and no food for your kids then that's fine. Hey who needs to eat after all? (this typed from the comfort and security of my 45k lowly factory worker financed home-- and yes we could afford more but our home is beautiful, full of children's laughter and happiness and we choose to funnel our money elsewhere then on trying to impress others)
Sotired... You go! You made a lot of VALID points.
I am related to 2 GE Ohio Lamp employees and friends with countless others, both current and laid off. Here's a bit of insight and FACTS...
Those making $27/hour are in fact SKILLED labor. An estimated 80% of the remaining workforce at Ohio Lamp is skilled labor. These include professions such as electricians, machinist, and HVAC. And do you really think its so easy to make light bulbs? Then why don't you build a machine and make them? Because that is essentially what these men and women have to do. They have to be able to work on every aspect of these machines, some close to 100 years old, in order to keep them running efficiently. This isn't a simple case of "pour glass in and out comes a light bulb, take it off an assembly line and package it".
As far as CFL's go...what a joke! And shame on you Oskowski (and any other GE lighting employee who uses them) for converting to them. They are hazardous. Break one and you're exposed to mercury. And who of you that uses them disposes of them properly? Do you take them to a qualified recycle depot? Or do you double bag them before you toss them? Most likely not. So there they lay in landfills, getting broken and allowing all that mercury into our water tables. That's just wonderful for the environment that this bill is meant to protect. Also they are not nearly as bright as an incandescent, cost more, and the hours they are rated to last are not nearly what they really do as they are not designed for the daily on/off of normal usage. I will admit that we use one for our porch light, and have for probably close to 8 years . We leave it on ALL THE TIME. We have found if we shut it off daily it only lasts about 1/4 of it's rated usage. I absolutely refuse to buy them for every day use until I have no other choice. As for the LED technology... it is here and it is viable! But GE execs refuse to consider it. And a lot of it is a matter of retrofitting existing machines!
I'd also like to point out that GE execs received a bonus on par to that of the savings from the 3 year wage freeze that employees voted on in order to try and save their jobs.
Where are people's compassion? Obviously it lies with big corporation rather than with your neighbors.So what? my friends and my family should suffer because they make what you feel is to much money? Please explain the logic in this...
LIGHTS OUT
Ok nevermind I did mean stockholders. I apologize, I haven't had my coffee yet...
(I will admit the two terms often confuse me.)
March 7, 2010 at 11:02 a.m. permalink suggest removal
LIGHTS OUT
(sorry meant Shareholders--not stockholders)
March 7, 2010 at 10:39 a.m. permalink suggest removal
LIGHTS OUT
I am so tired of people trying to pull their neighbors down instead of doing what they can to raise to their level. Just because you are jealous over the fact that a lowly factory worker can make good money does not mean that they do not deserve it! Not all factory work is the same and for someone like TB to try and say it is not deserved because they themselves worked in a couple of factories does not make it so. I myself have worked in some factories and yes there are jobs out there that only deserve minimum wage at best. But a lot of these men and women do work hard and deserve every penny they make! Also as I pointed out, it is in fact skilled labor making the $27/hr. The unskilled labor makes anywhere from $12-$20 or so depending on a. the job and b. when they were hired in. And even most of the unskilled labor is actually more skilled than not. Can just anyone work on their own cars? No because not everyone is mechanically inclined.
Another thing, when people are compensated well for the work that they do then quality tends to be higher. Look at what is happening in the auto industry today. So many of these recalled cars come from where? Union shops? No, they are coming out of non-union southern states where the pay wage is much lower and benefits are lacking. You want quality you make a worker feel like it's worth that added effort to do a good job and will take pride in the product they produce instead of just going in and doing the bare necessities in order to collect that measly paycheck. Say what you will about unions but they have done a lot of good for this country.
Let me also say that either Petras is a liar or he needs to hire new staff. When people in your company have taken it upon themselves to make a viable LED, something to save countless jobs (not to mention is a product that is more green than CFL's), something like that should not be overlooked! And obviously he is aware of it now and chooses to discard the idea. Bottom line is China makes things cheaper and that means more money in the stockholders pockets. So yeah, "How much money is enough?"
penguinbird,
there's gonna be a whole lot of broken bulbs then!
justsayin,
I agree that the math was exaggerated. And I appreciate the fact that you have been patient and waited till you could afford to move up. So many today feel they are entitled to things without having to work and wait. I apologize for getting my back up, I just got frustrated that you latched on to that and missed all the other pertinent points that sotired made.
March 7, 2010 at 10:33 a.m. permalink suggest removal
LIGHTS OUT
Oh let me add that my husband works very hard for that 27/hr. He is exposed to countless hazardous chemicals daily. His body has taken a beating over the last 12 years that it would not have otherwise had as a paper-pusher or heck, even a lot of other factory work. But he goes to work daily GRATEFUL for his job and the ability it affords him to take care of his family.
Oh and justsayin... It is possible someone making 27/hr could QUALIFY for a 300k house loan but making the payments would be a whole other issue. If you only wanted to have a ridiculously priced house and no food for your kids then that's fine. Hey who needs to eat after all? (this typed from the comfort and security of my 45k lowly factory worker financed home-- and yes we could afford more but our home is beautiful, full of children's laughter and happiness and we choose to funnel our money elsewhere then on trying to impress others)
Sotired... You go! You made a lot of VALID points.
March 6, 2010 at 6:20 p.m. permalink suggest removal
LIGHTS OUT
I am related to 2 GE Ohio Lamp employees and friends with countless others, both current and laid off. Here's a bit of insight and FACTS...
Those making $27/hour are in fact SKILLED labor. An estimated 80% of the remaining workforce at Ohio Lamp is skilled labor. These include professions such as electricians, machinist, and HVAC. And do you really think its so easy to make light bulbs? Then why don't you build a machine and make them? Because that is essentially what these men and women have to do. They have to be able to work on every aspect of these machines, some close to 100 years old, in order to keep them running efficiently. This isn't a simple case of "pour glass in and out comes a light bulb, take it off an assembly line and package it".
As far as CFL's go...what a joke! And shame on you Oskowski (and any other GE lighting employee who uses them) for converting to them. They are hazardous. Break one and you're exposed to mercury. And who of you that uses them disposes of them properly? Do you take them to a qualified recycle depot? Or do you double bag them before you toss them? Most likely not. So there they lay in landfills, getting broken and allowing all that mercury into our water tables. That's just wonderful for the environment that this bill is meant to protect. Also they are not nearly as bright as an incandescent, cost more, and the hours they are rated to last are not nearly what they really do as they are not designed for the daily on/off of normal usage. I will admit that we use one for our porch light, and have for probably close to 8 years . We leave it on ALL THE TIME. We have found if we shut it off daily it only lasts about 1/4 of it's rated usage. I absolutely refuse to buy them for every day use until I have no other choice. As for the LED technology... it is here and it is viable! But GE execs refuse to consider it. And a lot of it is a matter of retrofitting existing machines!
I'd also like to point out that GE execs received a bonus on par to that of the savings from the 3 year wage freeze that employees voted on in order to try and save their jobs.
Where are people's compassion? Obviously it lies with big corporation rather than with your neighbors.So what? my friends and my family should suffer because they make what you feel is to much money? Please explain the logic in this...
March 6, 2010 at 5:56 p.m. permalink suggest removal