On Sep 27, 8:12*am, Bama Brian wrote:
wf3h wrote:
On Sep 26, 2:21 pm, "RD (The Sandman)" rdsandman(spamlock)
@comcast.net wrote:
wf3h wrote :

in fact, i've done ALOT of work with IBM over the last 20 years.
they're one of the most inventive and competitive companies in the
world. and their semiconductor plants are unionized
Not over that 20 years they weren't. *Unionization is quite a recent
thing with IBM. *The first alliance was in 1999.

thanks for proving my point. the semiconductor industry in the US has
collapsed. but IBM remains competitive due to its unionized workforce

i agree that unionization is a wonderful thing. the NON unionized
companies in silicon valley have disappeared.

Now, in recent history,
in 2001, IBM cut 500 workers in Burlington, VT, 400 in Endicott, NY, 200
in East Fishkill, 180 in Rochester, NY, 150 in Freemont, CA and 75 in
Raliegh, NC. *In 2002, over 9,000 jobs were cut in June of 2002 and
another 14,000 in August of the same year. *Their was a mass termination
at Lotus Professional Services (which is owned by IBM). *Half of the
consultants working there were told to find new jobs withing LPS or be
let go. *The IBM retirement package now requires that new retirees will
have to pay for medical benefits. *

again, thanks for proving my point. national semi in silicon valley is
closed. non union. phillips in san antonio is closed. non union.
motorola is closed. non union. again and again it's the NON union
plants that have disappeared.

So much for increased benefits by being unionized. *;(

really?

so why don't you get a job with a non-unionized plant?

oh. there aren't any

thanks again for proving why unions are great.

Your anecdotes prove nothing.

There are NO unionized semiconductor plants in Silicon Valley. *Or
elsewhere, for that matter, AFAIK.

gee. it's too bad you don't know the industry. ever hear of IBM?

oh. you haven't. but you're an authority on the industry



Semiconductor plants all across the US are closing because the plants
age, require billions of dollars to renovate to be competitive, and so
have been shut down in favor of using plants offshore.

And just FYI, Silicon Valley is one hellaciously expensive place to
live. *Nobody in their right mind would try to build a new plant there.


agreed. and since there were no unionized plants there, ever, and
there are few plants there today, unions had zip to do with the death
of the industry in the US