re: #226 Obdicut

I feel like we missed a big window, back when outsourcing started getting really big. A window that would have allowed us either to use our economic power to force better working conditions in China, or to keep manufacturing jobs— actual jobs, not just automation— here at home. It’s going to be very hard to claw it back now. I think whoever said that a lot depends on workers in China getting organized and demanding better conditions is right. And even now China is building factories in Africa; they’re looking to outsource too.

We did miss the window. But that’s because the outsourcing had two objectives. The obvious one was the pursuit of greater profit. But there were a lot of warnings of the problems, most of which occurred, and which have cost at least as much. If it’d been solely profit fewer might have outsourced.

Meet objective two: break the unions. Break their pesky ability to negotiate pay and benefits, to protect the retirement funds (all that wasted capital just sitting there instead of in MY bank account), etc.

The unions have no power to negotiate for overseas employees, and the various laws that prevent moving to Right to Fire Work states don’t stop overseas movement.