Just watched the HBO documentary, "Schmatta, Rags to Riches to Rags" which shows the rise and fall of New York City's garment district. Now all I know about fashion is limited to the pages of the LL Bean & Brooks Brothers catalogs. I might have walked through the garment district once or twice during business trips to New York but that's it.
But the woes of the garment district seemed to reflect the sad state of the American economy. The garment district was once the biggest employer in New York city and the road from poverty to middle class for hundreds of thousands of Jewish, Italian and later Latino immigrants. And the garment district labor unions were a major political force.
In the 1950s about 90% of the clothing worn by Americans was made in New York's garment district and a skilled cutter, tailor or pattern maker never had to worry about finding work. They could literally quit one company in the morning and have another job with another company by the afternoon.
But then things began to change and more and more work was sent out of the country to be done by ultra cheap foreign labor. By 1995, only 50% of the clothing worn by Americans was made in America. By 2009, only 5% of the clothing worn by Americans was made in America. New York's garment district had lost an estimated 750,000 jobs.
The saddest thing about the documentary were the interviews with the unemployed workers and bankrupt small business owners. These are highly skilled, experienced people who love the garment industry and really want to work. But the American jobs are gone. And to these people, a job is more than just a pay check. It is a matter of pride, purpose and self-worth,
Irish Mike
"The problem with socialism is that, sooner or later, you run out of other people's money."
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> Just watched the HBO documentary, "Schmatta, Rags to Riches to Rags" which > shows the rise and fall of New York City's garment district. Now all I > know about fashion is limited to the pages of the LL Bean & Brooks > Brothers catalogs. I might have walked through the garment district once > or twice during business trips to New York but that's it.
> But the woes of the garment district seemed to reflect the sad state of > the American economy. The garment district was once the biggest employer > in New York city and the road from poverty to middle class for hundreds of > thousands of Jewish, Italian and later Latino immigrants. And the garment > district labor unions were a major political force.
> In the 1950s about 90% of the clothing worn by Americans was made in New > York's garment district and a skilled cutter, tailor or pattern maker > never had to worry about finding work. They could literally quit one > company in the morning and have another job with another company by the > afternoon.
> But then things began to change and more and more work was sent out of the > country to be done by ultra cheap foreign labor. By 1995, only 50% of the > clothing worn by Americans was made in America. By 2009, only 5% of the > clothing worn by Americans was made in America. New York's garment > district had lost an estimated 750,000 jobs.
> The saddest thing about the documentary were the interviews with the > unemployed workers and bankrupt small business owners. These are highly > skilled, experienced people who love the garment industry and really want > to work. But the American jobs are gone. And to these people, a job is > more than just a pay check. It is a matter of pride, purpose and > self-worth,
> Irish Mike
> "The problem with socialism is that, sooner or later, you run out of > other people's money."
> ______________________________________________________________________ > looking for a better newsgroup-reader? -www.recgroups.com
What the fuck are you complaining about? You wanted free-rein, unbridled capitalistism and now you got it. No protectionism, no jobs programs, just each worker competeing world wide. We have a race to the bottom and we may actually win this one. No need for high paying union jobs when the third-world worker can do the job for cheaper. Fringe benifits like health care and OSHA safety can't stand up to other countries lack of concern for workers and enviorement. I believe you complained about the lazy autoworkers who were getting a living wage. Now we will reap the whirlwind.
The average pay has not declined, its just that fewer workers are recieving anywhere near average wages; instead the rich who keep getting richer, have recieved the lions share of the profits. If 1970 minimum wage ($2.65 per hour) had kept up with inflation, the worker at McDonalds would be making around $18 an hour, AND if the minimum wage had kept up with productivity, WalMart would start out at around $25/hr. Sure things would cost more, but CEOs wouldn't be making 400 times more than the average worker.
Big deal!, you say, I already got mine. I would reply, welcome to the club, but there are other things to consider. Let us take San Paulo, Brazil. The country is a capitalist country with a democratic government. The difference between the rich and poor is akin to where we are heading. many of the big growth industries have to do with the fact that more than one kidnapping for ransom happens each day on average. A person of means would not be caught dead riding in a car that isn't bullet-proof. Private security can't hire enough body guards. A big medical procedure is the attachment of plastic ears to kidnap victims (kidnappers like to cut off ears and send them to the family). Hostage negotiators are also in high demand. Don't think it will happen here? Watch.
I remember when things were simpler. Then we got all these labor saving inventions. Computers and robotics cut labor costs. Now women, mothers and grand mothers work. You'd think with the increased labor saving and the increased workers, we would all be working less. Wrong! We are all working more.No one takes a vacation. Divorce is up, juvinile crime seems to be out of control, forget about doctors making house calls, lucky if you can afford to sit an hour in his waiting room. The gadgets keep a comin' but the quality of life is diminishing. All because there are those who feed at the trough and leave little for the rest. Tax breaks for the rich, indeed.
> Just watched the HBO documentary, "Schmatta, Rags to Riches to Rags" which > shows the rise and fall of New York City's garment district. Now all I > know about fashion is limited to the pages of the LL Bean & Brooks > Brothers catalogs. I might have walked through the garment district once > or twice during business trips to New York but that's it.
> But the woes of the garment district seemed to reflect the sad state of > the American economy. The garment district was once the biggest employer > in New York city and the road from poverty to middle class for hundreds of > thousands of Jewish, Italian and later Latino immigrants. And the garment > district labor unions were a major political force.
> In the 1950s about 90% of the clothing worn by Americans was made in New > York's garment district and a skilled cutter, tailor or pattern maker > never had to worry about finding work. They could literally quit one > company in the morning and have another job with another company by the > afternoon.
> But then things began to change and more and more work was sent out of the > country to be done by ultra cheap foreign labor. By 1995, only 50% of the > clothing worn by Americans was made in America. By 2009, only 5% of the > clothing worn by Americans was made in America. New York's garment > district had lost an estimated 750,000 jobs.
> The saddest thing about the documentary were the interviews with the > unemployed workers and bankrupt small business owners. These are highly > skilled, experienced people who love the garment industry and really want > to work. But the American jobs are gone. And to these people, a job is > more than just a pay check. It is a matter of pride, purpose and > self-worth,
> Irish Mike
> "The problem with socialism is that, sooner or later, you run out of > other people's money."
> ______________________________________________________________________ > looking for a better newsgroup-reader? -www.recgroups.com
To go a little further , most clothes we wear aren't made in this hemisphere , and most blue jeans made are owned by two conglomerates. In the late 60's and early 70's in my hometown of about 17,000 their were several independently owned dry goods stores(a term not used anymore) plus a Penney's store on the square.
Farah's had a pants factory and two women's dress factories were there Black and whie women mostly worked there, there weren't that many Mexicans in North Texas. The cotton mill in my hometown opened in 1910 , it closed in the early 70's.
When the mill closed it was the last of the textile mills in North Texas and most stuff moved back to the Carolinas. The textile industry in this country started out in New England then moved south , then to Central America and now to the Indian sub continent and other parts of Asia.
Everything always moves to where the labor is cheapest.I remember when there had to be at least 10 brands of jeans you could buy , some owned by small companies in places like Carthage, Missouri. Remember , you can't buy your satellite programming ala carte , it has to be a package , same with your clothes , hardly any 50-50 t-shirts anymore , and all are really loose fitting and after they are washed one time the look like they have been in the dirty clothes.
Have you noticed that Europeans wear clothes they way they want and are not dictated to by American fashions. Go to a box store and you get the same shit. Most pool cues are made elsewhere(China) and their quality is improving. All small appliances you see are made in China , even Schwinn bicycles.
On Nov 3, 11:03 am, "Irish Mike" <ad7c...@webnntp.invalid> wrote:
> On Nov 3 2009 2:20 PM, O-PGManager wrote:
> > Irish Mike longing for the days of powerful labor unions delivering people > > into the middle class? This is odd.
> What I long for are the days when America built things, people had jobs > and China didn't own our economy.
> Irish Mike
> "The problem with socialism is that, sooner or later, you run out of other > people's money."
> _____________________________________________________________________ > * kill-files, watch-lists, favorites, and more..www.recgroups.com
First, rebuild the unions. Second, limit money people can give politicians. Third, eliminate all money given by corporations, PACS and any other invention that funnels money to politicians. Fourth, reinstate the progessive income tax system. Lastly, have the government protect labor as it would protect any other natural resource.
The US became a debtor nation during the Reagan administration. That was when America owed more then it was owed. It was the first time since WWI. Today, we are the world's biggest debtor nation. A few rich people have prospered as we have sold the nation and it's riches.
>> Irish Mike longing for the days of powerful labor >> unions delivering people into the middle class? >> This is odd. > What I long for are the days when America built things, > people had jobs and China didn't own our economy.
Stop shopping at Wal-Mart.
Jerry 'n Vegas
- Only thing in the world getting better is restaurant coffee.
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