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[J-Carr]

Last April during the CVO tour the rep from the plant, who's in charge of the whole rebuild of the Softail plant to accomodate making the touring bikes under the same roof made a point of saying that they wanted and WOULD make the new York plant capable of building any current or future model of Harley-Davison motorcycle.  What I hear locally is that when finished, the new plant will be able to match the current production of Softail and Touring bikes in less then one shift.  So add Sporty, Dyna and V-Rod which total production is less then Softail and Touring and you're running two shifts.  With three possible... I'd be sweating in K.C.

Just commenting on the production possibilities.  Not commenting on the human factor or the political and what's right or wrong.

Ride Safe,
JC

[CVOStreetglide]

Last April during the CVO tour the rep from the plant, who's in charge of the whole rebuild of the Softail plant to accomodate making the touring bikes under the same roof made a point of saying that they wanted and WOULD make the new York plant capable of building any current or future model of Harley-Davison motorcycle.  What I hear locally is that when finished, the new plant will be able to match the current production of Softail and Touring bikes in less then one shift.  So add Sporty, Dyna and V-Rod which total production is less then Softail and Touring and you're running two shifts.  With three possible... I'd be sweating in K.C.

Just commenting on the production possibilities.  Not commenting on the human factor or the political and what's right or wrong.

Ride Safe,
JC

I think you are dead on. With the lower production numbers of most all of the models it makes good business sense to reduce the operating "foot print".  

They have to keep the stockholders happy and the franchise value up or the "financial wolves will come calling"

[LC110]

Well it is not over. Harley rejects state tax credits
http://www.jsonline.com/business/107332333.html

[sadunbar]

Well it is not over. Harley rejects state tax credits
http://www.jsonline.com/business/107332333.html

Good for the average taxpayer.  Bad for the employee hoping to retain his/her job.

[moscooter]

 

Sounds to me like HD made the right decision for maintaining their employment options flexibility and saving the (overall) tax payers in Wisconsin too.

[911Hawk]

Bring operations to N.C. where they wouldn't have to worry about unions. 

[CVO Willy]

It is really sad to say but we have all been affected by the outcome of this economy. What I don't here from anyone is that were is the accountability from the source of the problem. I have to say that unfortunately there are more problems to come from the backlash of what has happened from our financial institutions. The unions and pensions are going to be effected deeply. We have tried to take care of everyone for a long time now and we will feel it for a long time coming. There are no job guarantees and no one should look for the public to pay there pensions. We are going to have to learn this process all over again, the old fashioned way. Save, Save and Save some more. Don't rely on our politicians to fix the problems. They are in bed with the Financial institutions! They are the ones waking up with the smile on their faces. Until we are able to find resolutions to our problems, our politicians will continue to use band aids to fix everything. I only wish the best to everyone that has been deeply effected by all of this. Of course to all those people from Harley, we hope the best of things happen for you all!
    

[casper]

Why take it to NC where there is not much unions. Employees make $10.00 an hour but bike prices dont go down. And then how long  do you think it will take for a guy making $10 to get an attitude and start performing poorly. Result Junk

[RedDevil]

Why take it to NC where there is not much unions. Employees make $10.00 an hour but bike prices dont go down. And then how long  do you think it will take for a guy making $10 to get an attitude and start performing poorly. Result Junk

And unions make the product better?  It's worked in the car industry to have non-unionized plants and I haven't seen the quality of those vehicles go down any.  The workers in the non-unionized plants don't seem to be complaining about their pay.     ....just sayin...

[grc]

And unions make the product better?  It's worked in the car industry to have non-unionized plants and I haven't seen the quality of those vehicles go down any.  The workers in the non-unionized plants don't seem to be complaining about their pay.     ....just sayin...

By the same token, the vehicles produced by the unionized workers in places like FoMoCo are rated just as good or even better than some of those non-union places like Toyota and Honda and Nissan.  My point being, it's not so much about union versus non-union as it is about management.  Blaming everything on the unionized worker is a really old and tired excuse used for decades by inept management types to cover their own inadequacies.


Jerry

[sadunbar]

By the same token, the vehicles produced by the unionized workers in places like FoMoCo are rated just as good or even better than some of those non-union places like Toyota and Honda and Nissan.  My point being, it's not so much about union versus non-union as it is about management.  Blaming everything on the unionized worker is a really old and tired excuse used for decades by inept management types to cover their own inadequacies.


Jerry

 

[miker]

[SBB]

 

inept management types to cover their own inadequacies

This was never an issue when they were making money.
The world is a different place now.
The Motor Company is way behind in technology and selling a lifestyle to a 20/30 year old customer that doesn't care about it will be tough!

SBB

[Twolanerider]

By the same token, the vehicles produced by the unionized workers in places like FoMoCo are rated just as good or even better than some of those non-union places like Toyota and Honda and Nissan.  My point being, it's not so much about union versus non-union as it is about management.  Blaming everything on the unionized worker is a really old and tired excuse used for decades by inept management types to cover their own inadequacies.


Jerry

Jerry, this begs an obvious question.  If for purposes of this discussion this is accepted one has to ask the following:

Accepted that a well intended workforce will provide a good build quality regardless of the unionization of that workforce.  Also accepted that with a well intended workforce that final build quality is more a function of effective management (i.e., supplying quality materiel, working conditions, morale, etc).

All that being so then why would that effective management choose to accept a unionized workforce with the extra necessities involved when it could produce just as effectively without it?

[CVOStreetglide]

Jerry, this begs an obvious question.  If for purposes of this discussion this is accepted one has to ask the following:

Accepted that a well intended workforce will provide a good build quality regardless of the unionization of that workforce.  Also accepted that with a well intended workforce that final build quality is more a function of effective management (i.e., supplying quality materiel, working conditions, morale, etc).

All that being so then why would that effective management choose to accept a unionized workforce with the extra necessities involved when it could produce just as effectively without it?

(From another Jerry)

Who said the Motor company ever had the option to go with a non unionized labor force?? They chose not to move the facilities and support the labor and the communities they reside in. However at some point in time enough is enough as far as ever escalating labor cost goes and they have no choice but to consider a non union option to reduce expenses. If that means moving the facilities then so be it.

Regards

Jerry (also)