Bridgestone

[Dog_ger]

The best tyre.

Holden, the best car.

I will only buy SA...!

Goodbuy Bridgestone...!

[Lunchcutter]

This is absolutely devastating news for the Northern suburbs and for SA in general. Most of those 600 are locals and they are going to now be out of work.. i'm sad about this, spose it was inevitable anyway but sheesh i feel for those families who will undoubtedly be effected by this closure.. i wish them well - 'spose it only Holdens we've got to lose now, and RM williams - sheesh they couldnt go too - could they?

[Psyber]

It is sad, but in time I think our remaining car industry will go too.

Unfortunately, the transfer of all manufacturing to low wage Asian countries became inevitable once we started dropping tariff barriers and using cheap imports to help keep the CPI down and prop up the "wages accord" under the Hawke government. The decision was justified by the alleged need for, and alleged ability of, Australian business to work more efficiently and remain competitive. The truth is we can't have cheap goods and an Australian manufacturing industry. And of course we can't go back because the price rises from reintroducing tariff barriers, now that we are used to low prices, would get the government that tried it thrown out at the next election.

The move into "the clever country" hasn't worked either - the more developed low wage countries like India are taking over there.
Australia is becoming a mine and a tourist centre - even our agriculture is declining as we run short of water and build housing estates on the best watered and most fertile land.

[Pag]

One of the families involved in our club has had a father and twenty year-old son both put out of work. Not the best news for the northern suburbs, will be interesting to see what they do with the land though.

[Psyber]

One of the familys involved in our club has had a father and twenty year-old son both put out of work. Not the best news for the northern suburbs, will be interesting to see what they do with the land though.

The next housing estate for more people without jobs?

[Dog_ger]

Looks like

"manufacturing in this state is gone"

A very sad "State Of Affairs"

Does anyone remember the leaving of Phillips in SA.

Perhaps the biggest employer of the time.....?

That was the Start of SA Great going under....?

I remember going to Phillips Christmas shows as a very young'n.

I got the best racing car, you could even sit on it and be pushed around....

The best presents were given out...

As a young'n, I was devistated.....

[redwhiteandblueblooded]

I will be 1 month short of 24 years service when April rolls around next year. It has been an interesting ride, but it has been on the verge of closing for more than a decade. We have always been near the bottom of the pile of plants around the world in terms of production level and output.
I remember back in '86 when I applied my intention was to work for 1 year and get some money in the bank and then return to Uni, but they refused to hire me as I was intending to stay only 12 months, but my old man, who had worked there for about 18yrs at the time, went down to HR and thumped a few desks and they let me in. Anyway the money turned out irresitable going from about $60 a fortnight on TEAS to around $250 a week in my pocket, and the rest they say is history! Perhaps time to go back and finish that Geology degree!!(do they hold your units 25 years?LOL
From a purely personal point of view I'm not sad to see it shut as I will "take the money and run".24 years of rotating shift work takes its toll and I think I will have a couple of months off then join the masses at CenreLink(oh no I've become the stereotypical Doggies supporter!!!). Luckely the wife is stating work again in a couple of weeks after 5 years off following the birth of our son and her battle with ovarian cancer, so that is a little serendipitous. I guess I could just be a house hubby until Jan 2011 when the boy starts school.

Anyway, I do feel sorry for the younger blokes (although I'm only 43yrs young, with 2 kids under 10 and a mortgage) with the lack of genuine blue collar jobs around, they could struggle.

I would like to say a lot more about things but feel a little hamstrung by potential ramifications, so they can wait until the cheque has cleared!!

[Sojourner]

If we were not so hell bent on having 0 tariffs against countries that pay massively less wages to their citizens then us then these "closures" wouldn't be the order of the day as they currently are. I can understand a Liberal Government having that policy, but to see Labor doing that to blue collar workers absolutley reeks.

[dedja]

It's a 2 edged sword unfortunately.

As consumers, we want ready access to the cheapest goods which means that trade barriers need to go.

As a workforce, we want the stability of ready jobs which trade barriers can assist with in sectors such as manufacturing.

A delicate balance between the 2 is required but much easily said than done.

Not withstanding that, I really sympathise with those affected such as redwhiteandlueblooded, and as someone who recently has had some time out of work, I can identify with what it feels like to be in that situation ... and it's not a nice feeling at all I can tell you, especially in the current job market.

[Psyber]

If we were not so hell bent on having 0 tariffs against countries that pay massively less wages to their citizens then us then these "closures" wouldn't be the order of the day as they currently are. I can understand a Liberal Government having that policy, but to see Labor doing that to blue collar workers absolutely reeks.

I agree Sojourner - I was surprised when it was announced.
The sole purpose appeared to be to keep the Hawke government in power - making sure the "Wages Accord" held up by lowering tariffs, so as to lower CPI, artificially, and thus limit wage rise claims.
This was a con job against the workers I didn't expect the Labor Party to attempt, let alone succeed in.
Power was the priority of the party and the unions, not the good of the process worker, apparently.

At the time I said we were going to finish up exporting jobs, as I couldn't see the average process worker being able to retrain as an IT technician to regain a job in the "Clever Country".
[Or the "Clever Country" coming off against competition from India for that matter.]

[redwhiteandblueblooded]

My apologies for bumping this up 8 pages but the end is nigh!! Production in some areas has already ground to a halt and the talk on the shop floor is that Friday 23rd will be the last day, a week earlier than announced. Apparently there were a lot of problems when Firestone in Christchurch(NZ) closed last year (vandalism, violence) and the Japs are a little nervous the same may happen here if we go full-term.
Anyway, as I said earlier, it has been a good ride and it is sad that it is almost over. Have made some very good friends over the 20-odd years I have been here, and worked with probably an equal number of people that I would not piss on were they burning!, but that probably happens everywhere.
RIP BRIDGESTONE

[hearts on fire]

Holden, the best car.

is that a sick joke?

[smac]

My apologies for bumping this up 8 pages but the end is nigh!! Production in some areas has already ground to a halt and the talk on the shop floor is that Friday 23rd will be the last day, a week earlier than announced. Apparently there were a lot of problems when Firestone in Christchurch(NZ) closed last year (vandalism, violence) and the Japs are a little nervous the same may happen here if we go full-term.
Anyway, as I said earlier, it has been a good ride and it is sad that it is almost over. Have made some very good friends over the 20-odd years I have been here, and worked with probably an equal number of people that I would not piss on were they burning!, but that probably happens everywhere.
RIP BRIDGESTONE

All the very best in finding your next vocation rw&bb.

[Dog_ger]

Holden, the best car.

is that a sick joke?

and you drive a 76 renault HOF...

Goodluck to you redwhiteandblueblooded.

I hope you find employment in the North.

GMH is in the North HOF...

Shot down again

[redwhiteandblueblooded]

My apologies for bumping this up 8 pages but the end is nigh!! Production in some areas has already ground to a halt and the talk on the shop floor is that Friday 23rd will be the last day, a week earlier than announced. Apparently there were a lot of problems when Firestone in Christchurch(NZ) closed last year (vandalism, violence) and the Japs are a little nervous the same may happen here if we go full-term.
Anyway, as I said earlier, it has been a good ride and it is sad that it is almost over. Have made some very good friends over the 20-odd years I have been here, and worked with probably an equal number of people that I would not piss on were they burning!, but that probably happens everywhere.
RIP BRIDGESTONE

All the very best in finding your next vocation rw&bb.

thanks smac.
i am actually going back to study. i was intending to do a "gap year" here(at bridgestone) and deferred my uni studies 25 years ago. intend going back to uni, although in a different field.

[Dog_ger]

GMH Elizabeth looks in trouble 2010.

C'mon guys, buy a Holden.

Football, Kangaroos, Meat Pies & Holden Cars...

Comment hof....

[hearts on fire]

Dog_ger no offence but i never understand any of your posts.

[Psyber]

GMH Elizabeth looks in trouble 2010.
C'mon guys, buy a Holden.
Football, Kangaroos, Meat Pies & Holden Cars...
Comment hof....

I feel slightly guilty.
I started out life as a Holden man and had three in a row at first, but the last one I bought was in 1969.
After that I went Jap, Jap, German, German & English [bought 2 cars in one deal], Italian, Italian, German, German/Korean, German...