Some jobs coming home

[ballen0351]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=46198559&#46198559
Pretty good story hope more companies follow

 

[Steve]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=46198559&#46198559
Pretty good story hope more companies follow

Thanks for sharing that story. Good news and hopefully the first of many stories like it to come.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

There are a number of issues regarding 'reshoring' that impact whether or not it will actually happen:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e5b774ca-f037-11e0-96d2-00144feab49a.html#axzz1l3RUTFKl

Consider that as the article above states, China helps their domestic industry compete.

Also consider that companies like Apple use Foxconn and other suppliers to make products where workers get paid about $11 a day. As long as this continues, we won't see much reshoring of for example Apple products.

Much is on the consumer; we have to get over wanting everything as cheap as possible and lean on our elected representatives NOT to impose embargoes and tariffs, but rather to insist on a level playing field. If Apple wants to build products in China, then it must ensure that the workers employed there are meeting basic human needs; no child labor, no 7 day 12 hour day work shifts, overtime pay, and etc. That will cause costs of labor to rise, which will persuade SOME companies to bring more manufacturing back to the USA; some will continue to save money producing overseas of course. But it also means that a $499 iPad will now cost $1999. Get ready for that, consumers. If you don't want that, then you want the status quo to continue.


EDIT: Check this out: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57367950/the-dark-side-of-shiny-apple-products/

 

[ballen0351]

If Apple wants to build products in China, then it must ensure that the workers employed there are meeting basic human needs; no child labor, no 7 day 12 hour day work shifts, overtime pay, and etc. That will cause costs of labor to rise, which will persuade SOME companies to bring more manufacturing back to the USA; some will continue to save money producing overseas of course.

Thats kinda what the report touched on wages and benefits in China are rising and by 2015 it will cost about the same to build in ship some items in China as it would in the US. Its said that would not really apply to electronics but cheaper items we could see alot more manufacturing jobs come back.

 

[CanuckMA]

Bill,

It's a nice idea, but we can't impose our standards on other countries. If we are near a tipping point like the price said, it may be easier and more worthwhile for the government to impose punitive taxes on businesses that offshore and tax breaks and other incentives to keep the jobs here. As long as there is a financial incentive (bonuses, higher stock prices) to lower costs by off shoring, it will be done.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill,

It's a nice idea, but we can't impose our standards on other countries. If we are near a tipping point like the price said, it may be easier and more worthwhile for the government to impose punitive taxes on businesses that offshore and tax breaks and other incentives to keep the jobs here. As long as there is a financial incentive (bonuses, higher stock prices) to lower costs by off shoring, it will be done.

Actually, we can. We impose the standards on US companies, regardless of where their stuff comes from. For example, Apple. Apple will ensure that their suppliers meet their requirements by refusing to do business with those who won't comply. This is standard; we do this sort of thing all the time. We can't order other countries what to do, but we can impose restrictions on the US companies that do business with them. Same effect.

And by the way, they do it to us. Perfectly normal.

Punitive import taxes start trade wars. We tariff, they tariff. We restrict imports, they restrict imports. And we do export quite a bit; GM sells more cars in China than they do in the USA. If we simply set standards and let the businesses enforce those standard among their suppliers, we can do this.