One of the few remaining places to work around here is a place called New Process Gear. It’s been around since 1888 or so, in various incarnations. Currently, they make transfer cases for SUVs, and I guess management has never considered diversifying. SUVs used to be the hot ride, but, as we all know, people are a little more interested in getting good gas mileage these days, so sales aint what they used to be.

Last year, the company told UAW workers they needed to accept huge cuts in wages and benefits to keep the company going, and they did. The agreed to a 31% cut in pay, and something like a 30% – 40% cut in benefits.

This year, the company came back for more. If the workers didn’t accept a new contract, they’d close the plant. Period. If they accepted the new contract, they’d lose a week of vacation and some other benefits. If the plant broke even by July 31, that’s all they’d lose. If they “came close” to breaking even, pay would be cut at least $4 an hour, and maybe as much as $7 (they make $20 today). If they weren’t as close to breaking even as the company wanted, they’d close the plant.

Last night, workers rejected the contract 76% – 24%. I can’t say as I blame them. Most thought they’d given up enough already to bail out crappy management, and I don’t think anybody really believed the plant wasn’t destined to close anyway. This new “deal” might have delayed things a bit, but that’s about it.

Still, this is a tough time to be out of work, and the local economy really can’t afford the loss of another 1,400 jobs. And it isn’t as if this is unique to our area, though things have sucked here (job-wise) for quite a while. I really don’t know how young people just starting out can make it these days. Tech jobs are outsourced overseas, and manufacturing jobs are just about all gone. I guess you can still work for Wal-Mart or McDonalds, but if nobody’s working, I don’t see how they can afford to buy shit.

Republicans seem determined to crush any effort to put regular people back to work, or extend a helping hand to those who have fallen through the cracks (and those cracks get wider every day). And all they need to do is filibuster everything that comes along. They have the media, and the Democrats, timid in the minority are equally feckless in the majority.

I’m grateful for what I have (assuming I get to keep it), but I worry about everybody’s kids and grandkids. We need another FDR. I hope Obama is it (providing he can find some friggin’ advisers that pay their taxes); I just hope it won’t take another World War to get the economy going again.