Unions killed manufacturing in America and sent the factories packing and they ain’t coming back for good reasons. Americans have a sense of self-entitlement, they think because they were born in the wealthiest Nation in the world they are owed a standard of living well beyond what the rest have. They, or their Unions, demand $25 hr. for an illiterate employee with a 5th grade education to pull a lever on a production line. A GM production line employee puts in only 5 years on the job and yet has a pension & healthcare for life – what do you think those billions we gave them recently went to, we bailed out the Unions not GM and yet the Unions are still here, and ready to strike again. Union construction jobs require a “union” elevator operator to push the buttons on the elevator at a jobsite and when he does not show up – the entire jobsite shuts down because no one else can push that damn button! Seen that on happen myself.

And people wonder why American’s don’t make anything anymore? American's don't want low paying jobs, we don't starve to death in the streets if we don't work as I have seen in many countries, in fact America is the only Nation in the world who's poor are obese!

I have an American two-channel system, got my Manly Stingray II last February for $2,800. Same integrated Amp today is $5,600 because they are made in “Chino not China” and raised their prices 80%. Why anyone would want to run a manufacturing plant in the most business-unfriendly State in the union is beyond me, and the consumer pays for that honor. It’s a very sweet tube integrated and I love its sound, but it’s not worth $6,000. Just this week the volume knob went out on it - is that the Union America Quality I paid so much for?


Unions were necessary at one time, they did great things for the workers of America but there time has LONG passed and with orgnizations like OSHA we don't need them as watchdogs.


Another thing that really pisses me off about Unions as a Vetran who has fought for this country; in every war since WWI Unions who were producing vital wartime supplies had held strikes for higher wages. FDR had to intervene in WWII and most recently in Iraqi Freedom the Commanding Officer had to relieve Union dock workers and replaced them with his own troops because they refused to work longer then 8 hours and demanded breaks every 2 hours. The 101 Airborne had a Goddamn WAR to get to and these great American Union workers could not even put aside their "union values" long enough to help send these boys off to kill and die for them. It makes me sick every time I see those "Union Pride" bumper-stickers, what a friggin oxymoron - Union PRIDE!!!

Did you know that the labor cost on a union made car in Detroit is TWICE that of a non-union BMW or Nissan build car in Georgia, and that these Georgia non-union autoworkers actually make more money then their union counterparts? The Unions have tried like hell to to get into these plants and the workers DO NOT WANT THEM!


Unions are on their way out, the sooner the better.

I read the above union-bashing rant, and then plopped a cd into my system - the rant didn't improve the sound of my gear at all - doesn't FOX news have a forum for this kind of vitriol?

Well at least it is the correct thread for bashing... ;^)

Please, please Outlaw-in-Chief, won't you share with us some news so that we can speculate on actual product delivery???

NBRQLou

Of course it might help if Zo-fo even had a clue about what he was talking about. For example Manly makes its products in the USA and apparently always has.

http://www.manleylabs.com/galleria/factory.html

Not quite the same company since EveAnna took over after winning the company from David during their divorce, but their gear is indeed still made in America. I'm more of a VTL man, myself. I miss my compact 100's dearly. They are what got me on the "audiophile" bandwagon in the first place.

Best,

I believe that she has been in control of the company since 1996.

The Manley "factory tour" is a very interesting feature of their web site. I have no idea if all those in house operations add up to a higher quality sound reproduction than if the functions were done by contracted shop elsewhere, though it certainly does help to explain where all the overhead costs. For the sake of all those good people in the photos I hope that Manley can continue to find buyer for its pricey products

Just wanted to comment on Zofu's union rant,I am a union man and have been An elevator operator,I am not an illiterate, I was tought first aid, cpr,I am licensed and certified in quite a few different machines and specialities.If it wasn't for unions you would be working 7 days a week for a pittance with no benefits such as health insurance,vacation and sick time,and if I didn't show up for my elevator job,I would be out of a job,I don't just operate it I have maintain it and know the safety aspects of it also I have to be licensed by MY STATE to operate it.SO get your facts straight before you rant.

Hi loopy:
>If it wasn't for unions you would be working 7 days a week for a pittance with no benefits such as health insurance, vacation and sick time<

All very good things and I am sure you could include increased safety in your list as well? But I think this goes back to some of the earlier points in the thread. Overseas manufacturing has none of this which makes it very difficult for the US to compete. Interestingly after the state of union address there has been a big push to bring manufacturing back. I see that Apple is being targeted and the president spoke about Master Lock.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michelinemay...cts-in-the-u-s/

-Bob

Understood,I myself am in the Constuction segment,but some of the manufactureing unions seem to take advantage of their benefits and it's too bad because we need as many jobs as possible back in the US,read somewhere recently about the cost of human life is built in to some of Apples products such as the I phone and such,some of the Chinese worker were commiting suicide.