Metals & Alloys

The forums here have a great depth of insight into that one. It seems that as long as someone has a lab somewhere new and ever more sophisticated material will be always there.

Talent however is another thing. Questions from the younger and the newbie set are predominately coming from countries where the manufacturing is performed. No negatives on that at all but think. If the skill sets for designing, building, fixing are not found in our "Developed" countries just how are things going to get fixed when all of the people who know how to operate a screw driver quit doing that.

Why we will out-source that part also. Our developed and civilized countries will need the hands and the brains to get er done somehow.

Just goes to show that "Blue Collar Work" is needed the world over to keep Developed or not countries working and civilized.

"Just goes to show that "Blue Collar Work" is needed the world over to keep Developed or not countries working and civilized."

I am curious to know what your opinion on (Todays) unions on this matter.

Phoenix911

Well if you examine the financial layering of today's elite vs the laboring class we have been for quite along time back in the "Robber Baron" ages.

What is astonishing to me is how the present structure is so socially manipulated that people do not know how their emotions and thinking on the obvious sore points is being re-directed and de-fused.

It is fascinating to see the various flows through our society and know that we as a clump of humans are so ill equipped with reigning it all in and controlling it ourlseves again.

The Unions of today have been equipped with a very small leverage and have little Chutzpah to use it today as compared to the good old days. If the Unions squeal two loudly for more money or more power, their members and them selves will be looking at there jobs going to (Off- Shore).

Ya think that this was done to take the power away from those guys?

dbdwoods,

Thank you for your response,

Union has it's place, first lets not look at the world level, but individual shops, I have seen shops yes plural close down, with the union actually misrepresent not only themselves but feed the union members false information about the company they work for, putting the actual members in jeopardy, for the sake of the strong union. Sure sacrifice the few for the good of the many. Unfortunately its whittling it's base away.

When it's member find out, they tend to cross the line, while the older members who would like to cross the line, they don't because they feel they will lose their hard earn benefits from the union.

What I understand, is the union do not tell them, is that their benefits are theirs no matter what.

What I saw at (2) union shops recently, is One shop close down, the other is now nonunion.

The union looks the keep the organization, the infrastructure, the union office alive, not the worker. Which is unfortunate, because any business especially the smaller fabrication business realize the worker is what can change the bottom line.

And this effects labor on a world level

And emotion does plays a large roll, and it shouldn't especially ego's.

Looking forward, if there is a disagreement or if there is a correction that needs to be pointed out about the top comments.

Phoenix911

Good Lord no, no argument here. Problems that are coming so far outshine the line crossing thing it is obvious that youth will be impetuous and the older and somewhat wiser ones will weigh their options before doing the new thing.

I for one have not a lot of experience with the Union directly. I do have experience of living in society where the Union is able to do its job and is a benefit for it's members.

Presently where I live, we the public are being asked to fund a "Gang Law" where they will be taxing all of us to fight this blot on society.

Not that long ago we had an esteemed great leader who encouraged all local people in this country to form their own businesses and buy locally. When the prosperity set in there were so many jobs that Gang action was at historical lows, never to be seen again. They got rid of that guy. All of the middle level jobs are Off Shore and now Gang Crime is at an all time high.

Wonder how that came about???

Without any doubt, organized labor has improved conditions, benefits and wages for it's workers. Anyone who suggests otherwise would be misinformed.

That being said, organized labor has not always been what's best for the worker.

There is an at times, delicate balance. And the scales tip both ways.

My last 12 years have been spent primarily as a consultant and 3rd party representative for large companies who employ almost exclusively union labor. I have intimate knowledge of the good the bad and the downright foul from my unique perspective. I saw the great asset of labor management as they resolved issues that only their type of leadership and control and desire to put men to work while respecting the companies and industries that needed them. A huge success.

I was also on a project in Boston Mass. (during the big dig, at a semi-con project) where a difficult project was crippled by top down stalling and lack of interest in learning the necessary methods to succeed in a new (to them) industry. Infighting and dishonest practices were rampant.

Again, it tips both ways. Just one guys experience.

cr3

Well if you examine the financial layering of today's elite vs the laboring class we have been for quite along time back in the "Robber Baron" ages.

Having gone through downsizing and subsequent bankruptcy prior to my retirement from a major steel manufacturer (that always claimed high wages brought about by unions was the source of all woes), and having had numerous colleagues, that I had the opportunity to observe as friends, at the very top of the company I came to a somewhat different conclusions about the adverse impact of unions. I guess that I believe a lot of the bad press the unions have gotten over the years srictly because the "robber barons" want to maintain their positions and wealth.

However, I have also observed (since I knew many of them) that even CEOs, presidents, etc of major corporations have little real direct power over what happens in their companies. Besides, they are dependent on information fed to them by their middle level mangement, and since these middle managers are frequently sycophants, the CEOs make bad decisions.

It is said that everyone has a boss. Even CEOs have bosses that in turn have bosses, ad infinitum. It seems to me that the real question to be asked is where is the real power that controls the economy? If CEOs dont, and if the president of a country doesnt, then who does?

I agree that there is a skills shortage. At 80 I am still working part time because I have no knowledge successor.

Perhaps skills are insufficiently encouraged by governments and enterprises because of the costs of training but this ignores a greater penalty when skilled personnel are not available and the overall economy is, as a consequence, adversely affected.

The pool of money available for all aspects of skills training is finite so maybe skills training has to be allocated a larger share of available resources than it is currently given. This will be unpopular but it would be for the greater good.

Materials will always be avalable at a cost but the skills required to make them available requires investment in training and the pasing on of knowledge.

The tool is only as good as the person who knows how to use it.