Oz Local manufacturing

[pancho]

 This is a complex situation.
Among other things there is no comparison between U.S.A. and most other countries financially supporting a local car industry.
 G.M. IS an American owned company. and they are supporting there own.

 Likewise Italy with Fiat etc.
 
Holden is NOT an OZ company. It's owned by U.S.A.

Perhaps this place was wrong when so much effort was put into setting up the ol' '48 series 215'
Holden, which lead us into building an auto parts industry, maybe the effort would have been better spent continuing with other enterprises, maybe continuing aircraft manufacturing, boat and ship building skills gained from wartime manufacturing.
 Meanwhile we did have 'Australians own Holden', why the hell did all the OZ State, and Fed. governments and also local Govt. stop buying Holdens, and Falcons in favour of swanning 'round in fancy Euro imports?

When Govt departments used locals, the used car market got low K. bargains, Buyers were very happy with their purchases, plus   these cars kept local owned service and repair and part manufacturers in business.

 Cheers pancho.

[Nathan S]

Related to pancho's comments:
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/holden-angered-by-media-reports-it-did-not-submit-bid-to-supply-blastproof-vehicles-for-australian-government-vips-20131212-2zaai.html#poll

[Mike52]

Another report [ which may not be correct ] states that workers at Toyota get 2 1/2 times for working on a Sunday and that they don't need a Doctors certificate  for less than 5 days off.

If these reports are true then she's not a bad sort of job these guys are loosing.
Almost as good as being elected for Government.

[yamaico]

Are those wage figures correct? Or more lies, designed to demonise Holden, its workers and "unions"?
They seem highly unlikely to me...

Mate, you live in a dream world. Do you seriously think that a process line worker at GMH is on $40K pa?
Most of my work is for BlueScope Steel except now I have to work in Asia, away from my family and friends for long periods of time as there is very little work for me in Australia. BlueScope Steel in Austrlala has been screwed so hard by the unions in their negotiations for enterprise bargaining that Australian made steel is no longer competitive on the world market. The average semi-skilled process worker enjoys a salary package well in excess of $100k pa.The union bastardry at BlueScope Steel in Hastings Victoria forced the closure of nearly the whole plant, with only limited processes producing small amounts of product. (Of course, I may well be lying, just to demonise the company, workers and unions.) I work for an engineering consultancy and my chargeout rate is quite high compared to engineering consultancies based in Asia, so I work a minimum 80 hours every week for 40 hours pay, just to give the client value for the money that they are spending on me. Perhaps I should think about a career in public service.....

[pancho]

 Yes yama any one who have worked for themself knows about hours worked, but don't forget about the international tricks done with currency, the U.S. and China the best at it, down grading  the value of their currency to get unfair advantage.
 Simple example, a friend had a company manufacturing high quality steel and stainless plus lead shielded conveyors for export. three per year at $1.25 million a piece. OZ dollar circa 83 US.
 What happened when the OZ dollar went to $110 US?
  The buyer said are you nuts? we can get the same thing from Germany 30% cheaper!
 
What followed was a slow decent into bankruptcy and and thirty more out of work.

[Nathan S]

From the article, my bold:

The base rate for Holden production workers is about $80,000 a year.

$80k with OT and penalties and Super I can believe.
$80k as a base rate is much harder to swallow - which is why I asked the question...

Most of the HV mechanics at my work get paid in the $70k range. This is including a 25% shift loading, despite them working not-particularly-obnoxious shifts. Upper management always wants to change this, but the simple reality is that if they took the loading away, all of the above-average workers would disappear to the mines.
As it is, they have problems recruiting competent, qualified people "because the money isn't good enough"...
The boss is on record as saying that he wishes he was legally allowed to advertise for workers who have young kids, because they need the income/stability and because they don't disappear to mine jobs.

I imagine Holden faces a similar issue.

[pancho]

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Lvl5Gan69Wo

 Find this interesting? Like take the taxpayers money and run?

The fat cats do well, nobody else!

[pancho]

 Also, in relation to the 'massive overpayment of OZ workers, My son, a qualified, licenced motor mech. with Auto Elect. training, Rego Insp. plus management experience with various auto service providers is working at a repairers business down the Hume highway a bit for Mech Trade Award wages.  $18.00 per hour! Massively overpaid??   I think not.
pancho

[Lozza]

Are those wage figures correct? Or more lies, designed to demonise Holden, its workers and "unions"?
They seem highly unlikely to me...

Mate, you live in a dream world. Do you seriously think that a process line worker at GMH is on $40K pa?
Most of my work is for BlueScope Steel except now I have to work in Asia, away from my family and friends for long periods of time as there is very little work for me in Australia. BlueScope Steel in Austrlala has been screwed so hard by the unions in their negotiations for enterprise bargaining that Australian made steel is no longer competitive on the world market. The average semi-skilled process worker enjoys a salary package well in excess of $100k pa.The union bastardry at BlueScope Steel in Hastings Victoria forced the closure of nearly the whole plant, with only limited processes producing small amounts of product. (Of course, I may well be lying, just to demonise the company, workers and unions.) I work for an engineering consultancy and my chargeout rate is quite high compared to engineering consultancies based in Asia, so I work a minimum 80 hours every week for 40 hours pay, just to give the client value for the money that they are spending on me. Perhaps I should think about a career in public service.....

How much are you paid pa?
Having been through 15 or 20 Enterprise Bargaining agreements and being part of the negotiations a few times never have the "unions" been able to hold a gun to management. Each and every time the agreement has resulted in an erosion of conditions for and increase in wages or agreeing to managements wishlist. In order to earn over a $100k a year you will be doing a filthy dirty,boring and probably dangerous job for long hours on odd shifts. If not I'm looking for a job there. Want a career in the public service? This is what you get day in day out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDHSa-1s8wY

[matcho mick]

this shits way too deep for me  ,

[firko]

I'm glad I retired when I did seven years ago. I had two days to make up my mind so I took a punt and did it. It was the best decision of my life.

[SON]

My minimum $24 my max $30 & + +

[yamaico]

Are those wage figures correct? Or more lies, designed to demonise Holden, its workers and "unions"?
They seem highly unlikely to me...

Mate, you live in a dream world. Do you seriously think that a process line worker at GMH is on $40K pa?
Most of my work is for BlueScope Steel except now I have to work in Asia, away from my family and friends for long periods of time as there is very little work for me in Australia. BlueScope Steel in Austrlala has been screwed so hard by the unions in their negotiations for enterprise bargaining that Australian made steel is no longer competitive on the world market. The average semi-skilled process worker enjoys a salary package well in excess of $100k pa.The union bastardry at BlueScope Steel in Hastings Victoria forced the closure of nearly the whole plant, with only limited processes producing small amounts of product. (Of course, I may well be lying, just to demonise the company, workers and unions.) I work for an engineering consultancy and my chargeout rate is quite high compared to engineering consultancies based in Asia, so I work a minimum 80 hours every week for 40 hours pay, just to give the client value for the money that they are spending on me. Perhaps I should think about a career in public service.....

How much are you paid pa?
Having been through 15 or 20 Enterprise Bargaining agreements and being part of the negotiations a few times never have the "unions" been able to hold a gun to management. Each and every time the agreement has resulted in an erosion of conditions for and increase in wages or agreeing to managements wishlist. In order to earn over a $100k a year you will be doing a filthy dirty,boring and probably dangerous job for long hours on odd shifts. If not I'm looking for a job there. Want a career in the public service? This is what you get day in day out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDHSa-1s8wY

How much am I paid?? How is that relevant? Don't know where you work but I am talking about my experience and the production workers there work rotating shiftwork at an average of 40 hours per week in a clean, safe environment, and earn well in excess of 100K pa. You could apply for a job there but you wouldn't get one.

[Tim754]

OK Tim I asks myself  (What to do for a job?) a while back after another business I was working for shut up shop.
Lets see  Retail - , OK hours , low pay , out off the weather ,face to face with the good and the shitfull public.   Been there done that....

               Agriculture- Long long hours .low low pay , Always in the weather or animal shit or both. Strangely most of Joe Public does not understand what a hard life it is to feed and clothe them.   Been there done that....

              Manufacturing- Out of the weather, Shift work, Much improved pay, Companies going "Off Shore end of subject"  Been there sort of liked it...

             Education    Hmmm Good pay , fellowstaff has lots of whingers that live in an alternative universe with little concept of work .... Been there no comment..

               

[Nathan S]

Labour cost is only one reason why BlueScope is struggling to be competitive. If they began to pay their employees third-world pay rates, it would not transform their fortunes...

Why are we all so keen to ignore property costs when we talk about international competitiveness? Internationally, our property is massively overpriced relative to wages - and this drives up the cost of everything. Personally, if the value (and consequently mortgage) of our place was in line with international standards, then I could afford to take a pretty significant pay DECREASE, with no loss in purchasing power.

Think about it - if your local bike shop was paying half as much rent, the trucking company was paying half as much rent on their depot, if your mechanic was paying half as much rent on his workshop, if the local supermarket was paying half as much rent... What would this do to prices?

There's been no wages break-out since The Accord of the mid-1980s, but there has been a massive boom in property prices in the last ten years...
How can we seriously argue that wages are the main reason for Australia being uncompetitive internationally?