Motorcycle Maker Warns Of Problems At KC Facility
Account Retired
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,245
Likes: 12
From: Here
Those 9 guy's were welding their ***'s off thinking, If I don't, I will get replaced by another Robot.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 0
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: s.w. pa.
not sure what the Softail Plant was doing...but they could probably consolidate all operations to one location...
i did see some construction going on near rt 30...forgot to ask...do you know what theyre doing
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
I saw the price tag yesterday, $26,000 for an ultraclassic limited at the dealership. Compare that to a $26,000 car and it is hard to believe that there isn't huge differences in manufacturing costs. Yet they aren't profitable enough? I call B.S. I say downsize the CEO!
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 1
From: New Brunswick, C-eh-n-eh-d-eh
Sad but I bet that is what they are thinking. Also sad: it'll probably happen anyway.
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,310
Likes: 1,079
Sounds pretty simple to me. When companies use language like "internal studies that show significant cost, efficiency and production flexibility gaps in its Kansas City operations", its very clearly an issue with rigid union work rules that either keep the company from producing a high quality product or a product that costs too much to make.
May not even be an issue with salary. Union contracts that prevent worker contributions to retirement funds, inflexible work rules and $0 contributions to healthcare need to go extinct in today's economic climate.
Either the union steps up to the plate and modifies their work rules to better accommodate a changing marketplace or their workers will have no one to blame after they lose their factory but themselves and their union bosses. Rather simple in my opinion.
May not even be an issue with salary. Union contracts that prevent worker contributions to retirement funds, inflexible work rules and $0 contributions to healthcare need to go extinct in today's economic climate.
Either the union steps up to the plate and modifies their work rules to better accommodate a changing marketplace or their workers will have no one to blame after they lose their factory but themselves and their union bosses. Rather simple in my opinion.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,074
Likes: 12
From:
I always feel bad when people loose jobs but this is 2010 with HD being the last full scale American producer, (even Honda took production back to Japan) all plant workers and Union's need to realize that if the manuf can not be competitive globally and produce a quality product then the end will be near.
HD will prob not recieve Govt. bail outs and needs to stay as profitable and efficent as possible to avoid the doom senario. The only way to do that is by examining every facet of the operation and making tough decions now, that stock price is the only thing that keeps the company liquid. I hope they can work out the concerns and keep the plant open.
HD will prob not recieve Govt. bail outs and needs to stay as profitable and efficent as possible to avoid the doom senario. The only way to do that is by examining every facet of the operation and making tough decions now, that stock price is the only thing that keeps the company liquid. I hope they can work out the concerns and keep the plant open.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
From: Western Wisconsin
I saw the price tag yesterday, $26,000 for an ultraclassic limited at the dealership. Compare that to a $26,000 car and it is hard to believe that there isn't huge differences in manufacturing costs. Yet they aren't profitable enough? I call B.S. I say downsize the CEO!