Rumors, rumors and more rumors. Last night at work, one of the oilers came to work and started the "rumor" that Goodyear had sold the Topeka, Kansas tire plant. He said he had seen it on the Internet yesterday. I don't know where he looked, but every search I tried this morning, I couldn't find anything about a sale. Does it affect me? No. Does it affect my friends? Yes. A year ago, when the impending sale of Goodyear General Products was becoming a reality, many of our people chose to apply at the plant in Topeka. Goodyear employees (and we were at that time) are given preferential hiring status. Many had the same time as I did. Twenty or so years with the company. Their thinking was, to transfer and work there for 8 to 10 years , get their 30 years in, and move back "home". That magic 30 years comes with complete health coverage, so you can see, it is very important. They sold homes, uprooted kids, left family & friends and went where they didn't really want to go. All for security. Since most of our jobs went to Mexico, I can't even guess how many of our people went to Topeka. The rest of the rumor? It does get worse. "Rumor" has it, it was sold to a Japanese plant. Goodyear Topeka, does not manufacture your everyday, run of the mill tire. They do huge industrial tires and have government contracts for most of their vehicles. We were always told, this was our biggest money making plant. On to the rest of the rumor. It gets ugly. With this plant, Japan, would have the exclusive corner on this type of product. "Rumor" has it, buy it, close it and make it all in Japan. About 1,500 hundred more jobs to go out of this country. Now these people who gave up everything might be left with nothing. Those of us who decided, or refused to move, are at least guaranteed jobs until 2012. Sort of. That too is shaky.
When will this country realise we have to do something to keep jobs from moving to other countries? As oil prices continue to rise, the "cheap" labor overseas Will soon be lost. Prices will sky rocket, and the employed, unemployed and low income people will simply not be able to afford many items. One thing seems sure. Our current President has no qualms about the future of our country. He continues to spend money like it was as free as our water supply. (And that is getting shakier by the day.") Someone needs to sit him down and show him exactly what a trillion dollars is. I think he must think in terms of millions. Who'd have thought forty years ago the Soviet Union would fall from a fearful power to seldom mentioned anything? I can't help but wonder if we are heading in that same direction. "The rise and fall of the United States".
Rumors, rumors and more rumors. I hope that is all they are.
2 comments:
I certainly hope it is all rumors. It makes me sick to think of all those jobs that are lost in this country. Sister Angelene's nephew works at the Lincoln Goodyear plant. I think he has twenty five years or more. He was told after the recent closing he could apply for any job there. It certainly doesn't look like there is much choice. What good is seniority if there are no jobs? Donata
So far it is still a rumor but more people say they have heard it. I think if it were trure we would have read about it in the newspapers. I hope.
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