The problem with getting rid of unions is that eventually, the company lowers wages to a point that people can't live off the wage - but hey, "we're providing jobs!"

I'll grant you that unions have largely outlived their usefulness. However, if you ask workers in Amazon's warehouse about their work conditions and pay, I think you'll gain a different perspective about unions.

Sure company X could save a ton by not paying union wages. But then the people working for those lower wages can't afford to buy the very products the company sells, or buy a car or home. This means less money in taxes for the government to run on. That in turn means increased costs for healthcare and more taxes. Big nasty circle.

Ultimately, we're all at fault for jobs going overseas. We aren't willing to pay more for our cars, computers, phones and other electronic gadgets. We demand $15 shirts, and $20 pairs of jeans. We aren't willing to pay more, so the companies have to find a way to make them for less (send it to China/Mexico/etc.).

Of course, we all know that when companies say they have to find a way to save money, lowering the ridiculous pay & golden parachutes of their top executives is never in the discussion.

Maybe our workers should start to lower their expectations of their salary and work a little cheaper so these jobs will not be outsourced to other countries.

LOLOL... what world are you living in.. that ain't gonna happen. It has to happen by law.....

Alternatively, maybe companies should lower their expectations of maximized profits and be happy with clearing, say, a mere $20M profit instead of the $30M they can make by putting people in the US out of jobs and people in Asia into meat-grinding sweatshops ...

When you realize many companies (like Apple) who outsource overseas do so not to stay in business but so they can satisfy expectations demands from the likes of Wall Street for ever-increasing and ever-expanding profits, the argument becomes really tough that the problem lies entirely with American workers unwilling to fall on their swords in the name of maximizing corporate success.

Regardless, when competing for jobs with what might as well be slavery in many parts of the world, exactly how low would you suggest American workers set their expectations?

Exactly.. and that's what I mean by it's gotta be a law that makes this happen... such as a law that limits or taxes or punishes the outsourcing.

Editorial response to the article:

Posted: Tue, Nov. 22, 2011, 3:01 AM
Letters to the Editor

READER FEEDBACK

The Apple jobs disaster

Thank you to The Inquirer for continuing to publish the informative "What Went Wrong" series by Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele ("Apple's American job disaster," Sunday). The latest chapter on Apple provides sad evidence that Mitt Romney's statement "Corporations are people, my friend" is false. His assertion that "everything corporations earn go to the people" should be amended to "everything that corporations earn goes to the stockholders and the CEOs." While Apple's stock is worth $382 billion, not one Apple product is manufactured in the United States. This is a clear statement about how little Apple values the people.

Celia Lang, West Chester, celialang1375@comcast.net

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20111122_Letters_to_the_Editor.html

?? What's your point? Did you think Apple could manufacture here AND price their product higher than anyone else?
Or you thought that was the reason their prices were higher??

Can you show me a computer manufacturer that manufactures here? It used to be Dell... but not anymore.

Can you buy ANYTHING that doesn't say China?
Don't blame Apple... blame the laws.If everyone else kept manufacturing here.. so would Apple I bet.

But once the exodus started.... (half of the revenue for companies in the S&P 500 in the last couple of years has come from outside the U.S) how do you stay in business... by being competitive.
It sucks... I am not defending it... but stating why I think it is what it is.
It's the ruination of a nation. But it's not Apples fault.

==

You want a job... move overseas. In 2010 U.S. companies created 1.4 million jobs overseas while only creating 1 million here.

Blame ourselves and our government.

You are correct, sir. It's sad, but that's how it is.

Yep

Related
The 48 story building that was just built - I was surprise how much of the products came from China.

The rolling joke is;
made in China - assembled in the US