Seems the problem was not labor relations.
The problem is there is far less demand for high dollar Harleys in this economy.
So Harley does not need to make any more than will sell so they are making less bikes.
So Harley needs to have less workers.
Ah, but it appears that to do so makes you evil.
The truth lies somewhere between the two extremes. And neither side seems willing to meet in the middle. The unions have made americans non-competitive. The management has increased their level of greed to a point where it's embarassing to support their organizations. This is true of many public american companies.
The alternative is to by foreign products that are, in many cases, created by exploited workers at wages that would be considered un livable in this country. Their management is frequently even more evil, but the American press rarely points that out while groveling at the feet of foreigh interests.
Back in the late 70s, Lee Iacocca took a huge pay cut and then asked his workers to do the same. While mostly symbolic since Iacocca was rish and had other avenues of receiving income, the point was that he was at least giving some back too. I do not see Wandell or Willie G or any other Harley exec doing so. Maybe they are and are not publicizing the fact. And I know they are more accessible to their customers then many large corporate exec (Go try to find Steve Jobs at an Apple Users group meeting).
So there is room for both sides to move towards the middle and make it possible for the MoCo to get back both profitability and respectability. We just need to encourage both sides to move. Not just point fingers at one.
Ride Safe,
JC