Aother made in the usa rant...

Management dropped the news to us the other day. Looks like i'll be joining the ranks of the unemployed soon.
http://cbs4denver.com/local/Optima.Batteries.aurora.2.874937.html

 

And there's a good chance the quality will go to hell in a handbasket.

it's all about profit for the stockholders and damned little about delivering a quality product anymore.

 

Sorry to hear that. Ill take their products off my list.

Ive been thinking about a new slogan. "Made in America by Americans"

 

Before long, we might wish we hadn't built that wall across the southern border as it will make it harder for us to cross to go get jobs.

 

I bought a Optima for my 32 3W ...
but that will be the last one I buy

 

are you union?

 

We keep sending manufacturing capability overseas. There are even those who say 'good for them, let the Big 3 go out of business'.

Let's remember that in wars past, our manufacturers in this country - including the Big 3 - all switched their production lines to produce war armaments: planes, tanks, jeeps, trucks, equipment, ammunition, etc.

I guess the next time we need to mobilize our production capability to produce armaments, we will be sending the order to China.

We have too much make-believe economy in this country. Brokers, agents, bankers, lawyers, middlemen of all sorts. That's not sustainable, because no real product (or value add) is created. It's just moving it around.

We need to once again become a manufacturing nation. That is not going to be an easy transition, but it is one we really need to begin figuring out.

Sorry to hear about your job going away, brother.

 

On CNN last night they were talking about if the big 3 are bailed out, they should guarantee keeping jobs in the USA and all of the Economic ****ysts said that would be unfair and uncons***utional for us to keep jobs from other countries and it would be bad for Global Economies.......I say buy an old car and purchase enough spare parts to keep it around as long as you are alive to enjoy it. No sense in spending anymore hard-earned cash on things "American". It's just gonna feed Somalia and to hell with what you need!

 

This is an opportunity for you and your co-workers. Have you considered an employee buy-out?

Start with the mayor of your city, and have him contact the governor. Seek state financial backing, and/or even federal. Buy the factory away from Johnson Controls, and then manufacture batteries, and sell them back to J.C., or market a new line that touts it's 100% American made status.

The staties and feds would be more than willing to work with you as far as the environmental dangers and regs of a battery factory in the face of keeping jobs, plus a little media backing would go a long way to sway public opinion.

I'd be willing to bet the problem is not the markets, or even the shareholders. It's more likely the CEO trying to find a way to support his $BILLION salary and perks that is squeezing them to move operations to Mexico to save the $2-3 per battery they manufacture.

If you guys buy the factory, and cut the cancer [executive pay] out of the equasion, your 99% likely to be able to be VERY compeditive with price, and many times better with quality.

 

Good old Johnson controls they are shutting down our plant (auto seat frames) also for same reason. I doubt they will do any better in other countries .Very poor management quan***y meant more to them than quality

 

Well it sounds like you're not going to be totally out in the cold...according to the last paragraph of that article:

"The company is part of a much larger firm called Johnson Controls, which said they will provide support and placement services for the employees in Aurora who are losing their jobs."

 

FYI:

Optima is owned by Johnson Controls. In addition to Optima, the Johnson Controls Battery Division makes lead acid batteries for Sears, Interstate, Pep Boys, etc..It will be difficult to buy an automotive battery that is not made by Johnson Controls. You won't find the Johnson Controls name on their batteries.

Here is another example of a U.S automotive company / supplier laying off people and moving operations out of the country in order to reduce cost. You would think that the problems of the big 3 is proof that this is flawed approach.

The most successful German and Japanese auto companys put their employes first and achieve cost goals by improving processes and tooling. If you support employees and give them the tools to be successful the processes will be efficient and there will not be a lot of interest in having a union shop.

Sorry for the rant,
gac

 

I don't usually respond to these types of threads but I am making an exception in this case. First off, my sincere condolences to you James! I've faced unemployment and it's damn scary!! I think very good points have been posted by others here and I would definitely throw Darryl's advice to your fellow employees and IMO he hits the nail right dead center on the head when he mentions CEO's protecting their salaries! I watch American news every nite and couldn't believe that the "Big 3" CEO's sailed in to Washington in their CORPORATE JETS to ask for money! Can't remember which one but only one of them seemed to be getting at least part of the right idea. He said that he was willing to work for $1.00 a year if it would help his marque get the money. But the one other guy,EVEN WHEN PRESSED ABOUT A SALARY REDUCTION, said his salary was "FINE WHERE IT WAS" (in the millions of dollars a year!) It's a VERY sad state of affairs that idiots like him are allowed to run huge corporations and even when looking bankrupty square in the face, which could put thousands of hard-working people on the bread line, have the audacity to only be concerned about protecting their own ***es! Best of luck to you James! I hope you make out OK! Regards, Dave.

 

i'd buy every battery i needed from you guys until someone like Nardelli got involved.

 

It's too bad U.S. Amps doesn't still make batteries. Back in the early 90's U.S Amps (car audio company from Florida) made their SPL batteries for stereo compe***ions. The SPL-2000 battery was a made in the USA (Florida) battery that dropped 1200 amps continuous for 2 minutes if needed and would do 2000 amp bursts for 30 seconds. A starter on our cars might not draw that much , but the batteries could also be used recreationally for anything and they deep cycled down to zero without fallout and came right back up to full voltage. THAT was a made in the USA battery. Wish I could still get my hands on one!

 

so you think it is all caused by executives trying to maintain their high salaries? the owners of the company risked THEIR money and started a business so they can make a profit,which is now a dirty word. why should they if they can not reap the rewards?

what about the cost of workman's comp insurance , heath care benefits , the employers conrtibution to Social Security , retirement benefits , frivolous lawsuits , ***ual har***ment lawsuits , permits/ fees and regulations and their ***ociated costs , government paperwork , high energy costs including electrical rates that are expected to skyrocket when new environmental regulations come out, the expected increase in capital gains taxes , the expected "cap and trade" carbon taxes etc? do you think they could be a factor on the bottom line , and a reason to move?


don't get me wrong , i'm sorry to hear your bad news...and it's not good for anyone if a business leaves the country . but until we get a handle on these things , it will only get worst

 

I work for a major auto parts supplier. In our warehouse there is approximately 200,000 different parts. My guess is about 80% or more of the parts are foriegn made. I'm on a three day week because of the current financial situation. Tis whole mess has come about from greed. Just plain pure greed. I'm just wondering will the Chinese companies that get into trouble come flying into DC looking for handouts. And how much will the government give them.

 

Rush Limbaugh on the HAMB? and a closed thread...

 

Funny, i think that only applies to the "pets" of the comany. Only a few middle managers got placed in positions in other plants, the rest of us are on our own.

 

It hasn't even been 5 years since jci bought optima, and our doors are closing 1 year
from when the mexican plant became operational. I think that a mexican plant was all part of the plan to shut us down.

 

That's how companies work, they're always trying to grow and make more profit. The problem is when all that's left for jobs is pumping gas and clerking Wal-mart, who's going to buy all this ****?

 

Governments give funding (forgivable or low interest ) and then the plants pull stakes and go south
Not acceptable , somebody must be held accountable
Like the bumper sticker states " Out of a job yet, keep buying foreign"
Ontario55

 

Don't shoot the messenger... but pay attention to what is said in the last couple of lines of this report...! http://info.detnews.com/video/index.cfm?id=1189

Tough break to lose a job! Yours is more proof that this isn't just hitting the area where I live (SE Michigan) but the whole country. I'm so lucky to NOT be in the auto industry but wifey works for TRW automotive (20 years) (makes antilock brake components for foreign but mostly domestic carmakers) - they don't know what's going to happen after first of the year with jobs.

Face it, we're living in a global economy these days, it's never gonna be again like it was years ago. Sadly it seems a lot of trade agreements favor foreign goods & manufacturing at expense of US makers & workers - it's NOT a level playing field by any means. Lawmakers & unions must realize this and make adjustments before it will be. But as consumers must also realize we can't continue to demand union scale wages, but only pay WalMart prices for stuff we buy. I've gone thru several big-box stores & purposely looked for "buy American" stickers on vehicles - Duh??!! Stickers on a Chevy and their owners are in the store supporting Chinese manufacturers & probly spending more per year on that junk than they do on car payments?? Maybe somebody should put those "Out of a job yet? keep buying foreign" stickys on all the non-domestic made stuff in these stores - they'd run out of stickers before they got 35 feet inside. Okay, soadbox is put away

 

I was considering an Optima for the '31, but not no more. Back to the drawing board.....

 

here we have alot of people losing jobs but the bosses want the same volume of work wich means quality is going to go down, its funny, i work at a mercedes benz dealer, we have about 15 managers and about another 20 people who do stuff knows what other than sit at a desk, 4 service advisers, 3 secretary's on the front desk a workshop controller and a workshop foreman, a spare parts manager and 5 spares sales staff there are about 90 people working there, about 15 are mechanics and 5 detailers / washers and about 18 salespeople.
my old work had two yards, almost double the amount of cars, 6 mechanics, a workshop manager who also acted as service adviser and mechanic, a sales manager and his wife who did the pays and bookwork, a mobile finance guy and the big boss who also ran a wrecking yard and a panel shop, we put out more work and the place only had about 3 desks and chairs, no wonder the boss' sons would turn up in ferraris and stuff all the time.
i think its about time they got some bums of chairs and on the floor working.

 

Optima needs to know how mad people are about this. I just E-mailed them letting them know why I will not buy any moe of there products. I suggest everyone do the same.

 

What is the next "best" battery?

 

sorry man... this might be a wild ride for all of us that work in every aspect of the automotive industry. i sincerely hope it all works out for you and every one of us.



i'd like to wave these little american flags right now... but they're made in china too so i cannot

 

Most of us go to work each day and do what we are told, and then go home.

I bet there are 10 people who work at Optima Batteries who know all there is to know about making batteries!

Here's your chance to kick ***. Get together, organize, and then find a person to write your business plan for the banks. Join the organizations that have these people (BBB, mens groups, womens groups).

Now find a good attorney and negotiate a deal with the patent owners. Have the city buy the plant, and ***embly line equipment. Call them Aurora Batteries.

Find a way to make a profit, and help people with their health care. My boss paid me half and I had to pay half for my health insurance.

Become a capitalist. Figure out a way for the city and EPA to let you use lead profitably.

 

we only sell acdelco professional series at work... as far as i know they are still made here. they also have a "secondary" line which is basically a relabel that we refuse to carry and are new but made in korea... about 2/3rds the price... but much lighter for some odd reason??? we scaled a group 75 pro and the korean version... it was about 2-1/2lbs less... lead is expensive you know.