Spark Plugs made in China - the working conditions

[liberal N proud]

I don't know if this will open for everyone. The link is to a PowerPoint Slide Show of Spark Plugs being made in China.
PowerPoint not needed to view.

http://homepage.mac.com/greystoke.eng/.Public/China-SparkPlug.pps

It is not a level playing field when it comes to manufacturing in the US.

[Owl]

1. What brand of spark plug I wonder?

[liberal N proud]

4. Couldn't find that information

My manager shared that with me.

[heli]

6. Most likely for non-automotive applications in China

China is full of little shops of horror like that.

[madrchsod]

2. that`s why our companies moved there...

no osha,workman`s comp,and no environmental laws.

[madrchsod]

3. by the way india and other south east asian countries are worse.

toyota imported south east asian "slaves" to work in their assembly plants.

[kenny blankenship]

7. You mean "Co-Prosperity Sphere Associates"

We don't use the "S word" in modern business communications.

[heli]

5. That is Real Super Six Sigma Manufacturing

absolutely world-class.

[liberal N proud]

8. LEAN culture

Taking all the unnecessary things out of the operation.

Who needs housekeeping or safety.

[1776Forever]

9. I was telling my husband that I wondered if the Toyota computer chips are from China or India?

Does anyone know how these chips work in a car engine and where they are made?

Just asking - :shrug:

[uncle ray]

10. well if you judge by pictures, my employer's shop would look great.

first, don't even think i'm defending the chinese labor practices. i am not. just a report from the front line of the race to the bottom.

where i work you would be impressed by shiny new machines and a clean shop, typical high tech american manufacturing. look closer and you'll see one operator running six of those shiny new machines, hustling his/her ass off to keep them all running at rate, i work alongside minimum wage workers who are afraid to even sit down for a few minutes here and there for fear of losing their shitty job. the product made by these minimum wage workers feeds one of the largest and most profitable sectors in this country, one that is discussed ad nauseum every day here on DU for about the last two years. the stick has replaced the carrot in all relations with employees. at least the chinese bosses let their workers sit. that is a luxury few are allowed here anymore. every little luxury gets taken away eventually by management who has forgotten or never known what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. our payday was recently pushed back a day, not a big problem, except for the fact that employees were not told until after they would have normally received their checks on payday. some had floated checks for bills. yesterday our new supervisor gave us a heads up that there will be a meeting today, scheduled at our normal break time when half the employees leave. we used to have a window we could look out of at the employee entrance, not any more. oh and please be sure to mop up real well tonight at the end of your shift, but gee, we forgot to buy soap for the floor. make do.

i've been at this company "only" about 8 years, but am now one of the veterans, i and all others in similar positions feel like hostages rather than "our most valuable asset", as the giant banner hung to impress the customers proclaim. i've seen all the good experienced people above me fired or laid off, almost always for some petty reason. i see the applications coming in to the supervisors office where there are left for anyone in the company curious enough to see, at the top of the stack the leading applicants resume's are marked and highlighted by the plant manager "CHEAP!" yes our main criteria when hiring is now how cheap we can get you in the door for.

i used to enjoy my job, now the only thing keeping me here is the fact my pay hasn't been cut. yet.

but, boy! you should see our website! shiny new machines!

[AwakeAtLast]

11. USA circa 1905

that would be BU: Before Unions

[The Midway Rebel]

12. No wonder they are the nation that has produced the greatest number of new billionaires.

They now have more billionaires than the US according to a NPR report today.

[unkachuck]

13. obviously....

....you haven't worked the Pot-bore in Valve at the old IH West Pullman Plant....those Chinese departments and working conditions look positively modern....