Whenever something goes wrong, it's always the Unions that get trashed first. Very sad IMHO. It's cool that the big wigs show up in their limos and jets asking for a handout, but for the average american Union worker working to support his family, pay his mortgage, pay his taxes, trying to be a standup guy, he gets all the blame for something he himself has no control over. If the MoCo saw this coming and I'm sure they did, why not take steps to prevent the layoffs like maybe a re-negotiation of the contract? I'm sure the Union would have been more than happy to make changes that would allow people to stay working rather than being laid off. What a joke! Some people just have it out for Unions.

 

I find it interesting that people like to talk about greed and excess in corporate America, but the reason you have to defend unions is because of their greed.
Face it we're all greedy. Who wants to put their life savings into a company that doesn't make a profit and doesn't pay dividends?

Now the main reason this country is in the dire straights it is in is because too many jobs have gone overseas. They went overseas because we have a global economy and people overseas are willing to work for less. How are unions helping that? They will blindly push for more money even if it leads to still more jobs going overseas.

 

Perhaps you didn't see the president of the UAW on TV last month when he adamantly stated there was no way they would re-open their contracts with the Big 3 even if it would save them from going bankrupt.

The Teamsters did re-negotiate their contract with Yellow Roadway Corp. taking pay cuts in exchange for an ownership stake.

 

+1 on your greed comment! Folks wanted a Harley, then two or three etc., a bigger house w 0% dn and then when the price went up borrowed more for some more toys, etc. etc. I was a meatcutter in the Union putting myself thru college and the USAF and know some of the benefits, we worked hard on our shifts but when punch out the store manager wanted me to hang around aft closing another 20-30 min. off the clock til everyone left, 6 times a week adds up. I also lived in MI for years and have heard stories of how union members wouldn't pick up a certain wrench because it was the electrician's job etc. or slept on the job. Greed fr. the top down has a lot of what has got us here IMO.

 

Feel bad for the workers, but certainly not for the STEALERS. These greedy b_stards have milked us for trillions of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ over the last century. Pay backs a b_tch.

 

I believe there is some mis understanding here of how MOCO sells it's products. They have a world wide dealer network with whom they sell their products to direct. Then the dealers mark it up and sell to customers like you and I. MOCO doesn't sell direct to us. The dealers do the marking up and selling. Every bike or other MOCO product that hits a dealership is sold in Harley's account book. Now there are also quarterly sales bonuses and end of year sales bonus MOCO hands out to the qualifying dealer, but again, not to you or I the customer.
If the dealer has several bikes on his floor that are not selling he can mark them down, but it will eat into his profit, and without profit he cannot survive. Without dealers, there will be no parts and service. It is a golden chain starting with MOCO connected to dealers and with us customers on the end of it pulling the entire chain and all tied to it. Ever tried to push a chain?

 

its a sad day when the American Motorcycle Company is in trouble... All said and done I do feel bad for the workers getting cut. their familes have no control over what ha[[ens at work. lets hope there is light at the end of the tunnel and not another train
Pray for America and God Bless us all

 

Everytime motorcycle sales slow this thread appears except this time the downturn is part of a global recession/depression from which no one can escape. Just a couple of observations:

1. Everyone has the answer and the blame never is directed at the guy looking back at you when you shave in the morning. Yes, that menas you.
2. Harley "would" always sell more bikes if they just lowered their prices. Everybody on this forum has contributed to Harley Davidson's pricing policies if they have purchased one Harley Davidson Motorcycle/accessory. Their pricing policies are what they are because "you" support those pricing policies by buying the product. It's the same old story. They charge those prices because they can.
3. And if you are interested in facts, the price of a 2 tone Ultra Classic has gone up less than 1.5% a year over the last 10 years. Anyone able to name one commodity other than gasoline which is temporarily (yes temporarily) depressed that has gone up only 1.5% a year for the past 10 years? Steel? Labor Rates? Utilities? Rubber? Plastics? Interesting.

It's time everyone wake up and realize the situation we all are in and stop blaming everyone else. If we don't, the current economic downturn will become the reality that all of us live in well beyond our days on this planet.

I guess the good news is affording that $20,000+ motorcycle will become the least of our concerns.

 

yea right, its always the little guy trying to make ends meet for his or her family thats why the moco is in trouble. grow up dip shiit!!!

 

If that post was directed at me, and I believe it was, I'd like to thank you for your wisdom. I'm sure for many of us reading this thread it will be life changing advice.