Nordic Whoring: US Workers Get Cheap

[Judi Lynn]

Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by CommonDreams.org
Nordic Whoring: US Workers Get Cheap
by David Macaray

Sociologists tell us that the reason an otherwise happily married man will seek the services of a prostitute is because he knows she will do things his wife would never consent to do. Whether or not that explanation is accurate, the same perception appears to be Sweden’s reason for embracing the American worker. Judging from their recent actions, Swedish companies are convinced they can get American workers to do things their own citizens would never do.

Early evidence of this perception was seen in the draconian measures instituted at Sweden’s IKEA manufacturing plant in Danville, Virginia. After getting the local community to pony up more than $12 million in tax breaks and other subsidies (as an inducement for IKEA to locate its factory in this job-starved region of Virginia), it didn’t take long for the company to show its true colors.

They not only hired a union-busting outfit to keep the IAM (International Association of Machinists) from making a run at the employees, they proceeded to drastically slash employee wages, and unilaterally modify long-standing work and overtime rules. Needless to say, these measures not only would have been frowned upon by Swedish society, but most of them would’ve been illegal. They would have been in violation of Sweden’s labor laws.

As brutal as the Danville crackdown was, a similar move is occurring at the AAK (AahusKarishamn) oils and fats processing plant, in Louisville, Kentucky. The Louisville plant was formerly owned and operated by Golden Brands, but was sold to the Swedish multinational corporation last July. Despite having had a fairly cooperative relationship with Golden Brands for more than 25 years, once the company changed hands, things turned ugly in a hurry.

More:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/01/04-10

[Demeter]

1. Need any other proof of our Third World Status?

Like, maybe, which politicians they paid off?

[JDPriestly]

3. You grabbed the words off my computer.

Joking, but I had the same thought as you.

We are now officially Sweden's China.

[PETRUS]

5. It's also evidence...

...that capital (and capitalists) can always be counted on to act a certain way - e.g. seeking to drive down wages, in this instance - even if the home base is a progressive, social democratic "welfare" state.

Much of our own (now endangered) prosperity is a result of exploitation outside of the US.

[Hawkowl]

2. Ha!

Unions are evil!

American workers are beyond stupid with their anti-union sentiments. The beatings will continue until the population gets a fucking clue.

[hedgehog]

4. I was told that Dutch dairies are moving into Ohio and setting

up factory farms. Ohio is made for small family farms grazing cattle and raising feed; introducing factory farms or stockyards is a sin!