"If the NLRB is allowed to overrule Boeing's business decision, there are no winners. ... The repercussions of this case will ensure that businesses will simply decide to move operations overseas. South Carolina has seen what happens when businesses find better opportunities overseas -- the jobs leave and they don't come back."
On a related note, I approached the Winnipeg Economic Development council about 3 months ago with a proposal I called "Operation Capital Flight." In it I proposed I would act as an agent for the council and actively approach and solicit Minnesota-based companies to move their headquarters to Winnipeg in order to take advantage of the lower corporate taxes. On the target list were companies like 3M, Target, General Mills, Polaris, Best Buy and other multi-billion dollar firms.
Got a call back, the guy said he would run it past the council. Never heard back since then.
Makes me wonder when government types and economic development types in Canada are going to realize just what low-hanging fruit there is in the US to simply pluck away.
That is of course unless you don't want any of that icky yucky gross jobs and investment stuff?
Canada is the only english speaking country left that is 100%closed shop. No RTW anywhere. It is far more unionized than the US. Militant unions have destroyed the PUlp and paper industry of eastern canada where mills even with free hydro power and timber assets are uncompetitive.
Boeing bought a Canadian airplane manufacturer in Ontario a few decades ago and encountered arguably the most militant union in all the country. It promptly gave it to Bombardierand fled the country.
Boeing would never return to a province unless it had RTW. That is not going to happen in MB. But it could happen in AB as early as next spring if the the wild rose alliance party
Wins. Stay tuned...
Gord there is an election in Saskatchewan this fall and hte unions here have been collectively involved in a series os srikes and other job actions in support og their contract negotiations. The public is pissed. Should the Sask Party increase thier seat count look for changes in legislation. Lots of flat ground to land planes on here.
Gord, this is what the Alberta govt. needs to go after, stop the bickering and throw the red lefties out of the once conservative party, the Kowalskis (who dated my grandma I'm sure) the "Handcocks", the (Renner, glowball warming chicken little) etc. A purge is needed and the people of Alberta need to pressure govt. to set a climate of business that brings the biggies like Boeing and any other manufacturer from socialist Californis Wash. and wherever else in the US, good people want only to work, get away from Bill Ayers/Soros controlled Obongos unions or onerous govt regulations stifling their productivity. Nat gas is cheap and abundant here, we have a great intelligent workforce and with some well thought out immigration policies we might just bring in more WORKERS instead of gang bangers and credit card scam artists to up the ante of Alberta getting back to what we once were here. Then grow up throw out the Canada health act, build some Mayo type clinics in Cal/Edm, keep out top docs here and create medical tourism for wealthy who want quick access. Why if Mrs Dupont lived in Can. she would be behind Brock Anton and Brigitte depape for med. serice, that is not right.
Brian, other than the government worker's union coordinating their strike and job actions to cause maximum trouble before the fall election, don't forget that the NDP is actively electioneering through ads in the media by these same unions. This loophole needs to be plugged. Saskatchewan also needs RTW legislation, but don't hold your breath waiting for it as there are too many Red Tories in the government.
Good luck to the Wild Rose Party. Hopefully they turf the Red Tories.
"If the NLRB is allowed to overrule Boeing's business decision, there are no winners. ..". This has overtones of material in Atlas Shrugged.
Just because they didn't phone the "captain" back, doesn't mean they're against trying to entice US businesses to relocate. Does anyone really believe an economic development council would hire an agent, who refers to himself as "captain"? What would he do, walk into Boeing dressed like Ted Knight on Caddyshack?
"Boeing would never return to a province unless it had RTW. That is not going to happen in MB."
There's already a Boeing plant in Winnipeg.
"There's already a Boeing plant in Winnipeg."
Since 1971
http://www.boeing.ca/ViewContent.do?id=21502
With our very low unemployment rate in Manitoba, it would be hard to find workers. Let alone qualified ones.
I heard this speech by Sonnie Johnson (she's an American Tea Partier), where she tells the crowd that not only do they have to take back the government at the Federal level, but must also do so at the local level. Since I'm a great believer in "best practices", I fully endorse that message she was communicating. We will NEVER get "low-hanging" fruit, if we consistently vote in left-leaning councillors at the municipal level and left-leaning MPPs/MLAs at the provincial level. Because these folks will always champion the greenies, the NIMBYs and "the children (TM)". They will always pass legislation for "free" injection sites for druggies, free housing for layabouts, more by-laws in order to control property owners and they will ALWAYS vote for tax increases.
They will NEVER pass legislation allowing members of a union to annually vote to keep the union nor will they ever pass legislation that forbids the employer to deduct union dues at source, thereby allowing the member to decide whether or not to give his/her money to the union.
I don't know why we (the stupid tax-payers) do this to ourselves.
A few more moves to legislate workers back to work on the pretext that a strike would have an adverse effect on the economy of the country would soon superseed the need for RTW legislation or maybe bring it about quickly. I think it is time that we abandon the 1930's model of employee-employer relationship and find a model for the 21 century.
"In South Carolina, workers don't have to join a union to work at a job site, making it a so-called right-to-work state."
I'm assuming the Boeing workers in Washington State make roughly $85,000 a year and the workers in SC make $8,500.Unions always claim non-Union workers almost starve to death.
When I moved to B.C. from Manitoba in the 1960's,I met up with a curious closed-shop catch-22 tactic. When you applied for a job,you were told you had to be a member of a Union,but when you went to the Union hall to join up,were told you had to have a job before you could join the Union.
I wish we had a right-to-work Country right now,I'd go apply for a job as a postman.
I see Gord Tulk has been reminded of the major factory of Boeing located in Winnipeg. I would also add that it contracts with other Canadian aerospace companies to supply parts for the many International Boeing plants and in U.S.
Captain instead of callinf the Wpg. Dev. Office, I would have called the Dept. of Industry for Manitoba, its located in Winnipeg. the Deputy Minister is Hugh Eliasson.
Yes wpg has a Boeing plant. So does Seattle (many of them). But Boeing is fleeing closed shop jurisdictions - as are countless other manufacturers and MB is not a RTW Locale.
Is it just me or do lefty politicos seem more militant than their righty counterparts (in general)? My theory is that most leftards are in one way or another on the government dole, giving them plenty of time to pursue their misguided, ill-informed, society-destroying ways. While at the same time a lot of the right's brightest and best are occupied running self-started businesses and raising families. Maybe that's why all these "conservative" parties are so full of progressives and despite election wins we see so much fascist legislation passed. Sometimes I think I need to start believing all the conspiracy theories.
Seems to me the Captain needs a little education about Canaduh.
Capn, an economic development office in Canaduh, is not interested in attracting new business, that would require a lot of work. Economic development in Canaduh is all about giving forms to first nations people,lesbian groups, daycares and such-like to apply for government grants. We most certainly do not want anything like a factory which would produce (horror of horrors) carbon dioxide.
Rethink your business plan.
North Bay Ontario, Mirabel Quebec, Stephenville Newfoundland - long runways and hangars available
With Harper's corporate tax cut in effect we'd better see some big ticket action on the corporate progress front. If Canada's business sector just pockets the difference for tropical beach houses and keeps sending jobs overseas, then Jack Layton will be standing over them in four years time with a big, prostate cancer free, hard-on.
Yes Gord, Manitoba is not a RTW Province, nor are any other in Canada, the Supreme court of Canada has seen to that! However, I would remind you, that Boeing Winnipeg, has never had a work stoppage or strike! In defence of my former Province it is also the home of Bristol Aerospace, for those of long memories, they submited the winning bid to repair/maintain the CF15's for Canada but a Quebecer named Mulroney, decrreed it should go to a Quebec firm named Bombardier!
The mb plant has 400 million in sales. Boeing has 65 billion. The mb plant is accountants eraser dust by comparison. As anyone who has worked in or had to deal with a union - it is not the stoppages that are the main contributor to inefficiency compared to non-union shops, it's the bureaucratic and stifling work environment they cause. I doubt the MB plant is immune from that.
Captain, as Cascadian noted above, your first mistake was to assume the Winnipeg Economic Development Council was something that worked on developing the economy in Winnipeg.
Its government, they don't actually -do- anything. Just grow, and grow, and grow...
Captain,
This Manitoban is very interested in what you propose. Are your contact coordinates on your website?