RE: Off-topic Boeing strike

From: Brock Hinzmann (bhinzmann@sric.sri.com)
Date: Wed Mar 15 2000 - 00:39:02 EET


Glenn is correct, this should probably be an off-the-RPML topic, but it
does have a greater significance than even the strike itself, and RP. As a
former member of three unions, two in the U.S. and one in Germany, and an
observer of at least one or two other unions in action, and as someone who
has an MBA, I have seen many different sides to the arguments in question
and, frankly, in most cases, I have found both union leaders and
management lacking in perspective.

A strike usually means that at least one person on each side has failed
to communicate something very fundamental about the long-term impacts of
the dispute. The claim has been made that a shortage of engineers exists in
the United States, which should bolster the strength of the union. On the
same day that the Boeing engineers went out on strike, however, Orrin
Hatch introduced legislation to increase the number of H-1B temporary work
visas. Meanwhile, as Anshuman has pointed out, the global beat goes on. The
current U.S. economic growth will continue as long as the global growth
continues and the U.S. companies remain reliable sources of good ideas
engineered into good products and services and delivered to the right customers
at the right price. As long as the two sides are out on strike (such a
dispute means, in essence, that management is on strike, too), the company
can only be slipping farther behind its rivals.

It's tough having friends on both sides, like a civil war. I hope an
agreement is reached soon.

Brock Hinzmann
 
Anshuman Razdan wrote:
>My opinion in general is that its not doing much for Boeing. Already,
Boeing
>has lost to Airbus in several of the major contracts in last year - some
>very embarrassing ones i.e. long time customers turning away from Boeing
>Products. And European public sector companies are supposed to be slow
>moving, heavily subsidized with uncompetitive products, burdened with
>protectionist unions !! As far as customer is concerned it doesn't
matter
>whose fault it is. For them the product is not being delivered in time,
>which is the bottom line. They don't care about internal squabbles. The
>"free market" drum beat is not sounding good now !! I have nothing
against
>(or for) unions so don't get on my case for that!!
>
>-> -----Original Message-----
>-> From: owner-rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi
>-> [mailto:owner-rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi]On Behalf Of
>-> SiderWhite
>-> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 10:10 PM
>-> To: Rapid Prototype Mailing List
>-> Subject: RE: Off-topic for debate on Boeing SPEEA strike
>->
>->
>-> Just to stir up some lively debate, what's everybody's
>-> opinion on the strike
>-> of Boeing's SPEEA engineers and technicians?
>->
>-> And what effects, long-term or short-term, will this have,
>-> if any, on the
>-> aircraft industry in general?
>->
>-> Is it high time that engineers and technicians stick up for
>-> themselves
>-> against the management MBA's who (most of them) don't have a
>-> clue about all
>-> the nuances required to engineer, test, and fly a successul
>-> airplane design
>-> or are they a bunch of greedy and spoiled whiners?
>->
>-> For an article on the strike check this website out:
>->
>-> www.avweb.com/articles/speea
>->
>-> Opinions please.....
>->
>-> Regards,
>->
>-> Glenn Whiteside
>->
>->
>-> For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
>
>
>For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
>
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>From: "Anshuman Razdan" <razdan@asu.edu>
>To: "'Rapid Prototype Mailing List'" <rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi>
>Subject: RE: Off-topic for debate on Boeing SPEEA strike
>Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 01:13:15 -0700
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