Maggie's Farm

@Gonewiththewind - Some of us on this side of the pond would be very happy if US companies stayed in the US. GE just took over Alstom in Switzerland. Shortly after doing so, they announced 6,500 job cuts with over 1,300 in Switzerland alone.

Please be kind enough to keep your corporate "burn and pillage" mentality out Europe and in America where it belongs.

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"Burn and Pillage" has been part of our 2,000 year history as wars raged back and forth Europe from the Swedes invasion of Germany to the Danish raids of Brittan and France up until our most recent debacles back in the 1940's. Needless to say, we've been at it for a long time so 70-years of peace with is new to us.

In this perspective, it has to do with the American attitude of corporate destruction internally and abroad. Back in the 80's American companies, like those managed by Mit Romney, were famous for taking over companies (GST Steel, Dade International and others) and chopping them into smaller ones, selling off anything of value and tossing workers into the streets or simply sending everything off-shore. It was pretty much the last phase of American deindustrialization and Ross Perot warned Americas about this during his attempt at the presidency.

As you may be aware, GE recently bought Alstom (France) and has taken over their gas turbine business which is Based in Switzerland. The deal itself was a bit of a mess with Patrick Kron (CEO of Alstom) going hat in hand to ask if GE would be willing to buy the company behind the back of the French government. As you can imagine, when the French found out, they were not happy and even tried to get Siemens to get into the deal, but Siemens wasn't interested. The deal went through with GE and now they are laying off 6,500 people.

While European companies have had layoffs in the past, and present and will in the future, there's an established history of American companies putting the value of their workers well below that of their shareholders. In much of Europe, and especially Germany, companies do everything they can NOT to dismiss workers unless they absolutely have to.

Programs like "kurtzarbeit" (short work) are programs where companies will reduce workers hours and the government makes up part of the salary. This was done in California during the 2008 downturn in some companies. The purpose is to keep highly skilled workers at work, but working less, until the economic climate turns around and business picks up again. Obviously this isn't a long term solution and eventually if things don't work out then people have to be let go. But no one wants to see highly skilled workers lose their jobs given how hard it is to find them and keep them in the first place.

European companies (at least German ones, the British, not so much) have a long history of looking out for their workers and not hiring and firing on a whim. We have a stronger sense of social responsibility to our workers, and as many companies, tend to maintain them at a sustainable size, with modest raises and benefits even for the CEO.

I have met dozens of Americans, especially around Frankfurt, who would do anything they could to remain here in Germany, rather than return to the US knowing that they risk losing their jobs at some point in the future because of they way American companies treat their workers.

You will find that over 95% of German companies are family owned, and often have less than 100 workers. Workers who have committed themselves to the company, with the company committed to their employees. It's a life-time commitment which is a mutually beneficial relationship. Not like your American attitude of "burning and pillaging" companies and workers.

The very idea of GE coming over here, and within months of arriving, to announce these numbers of lay offs is nearly unprecedented in European businesses. And leaves a very bad impression of how American companies intend to function when they come to Europe.

If this is the future of American companies in Germany, we would prefer you learn from Walmart's failed attempts to open here and keep your business practices out of Germany.

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@ GWTW - After my mandatory German military service, I left university with a degree in engineering from Darmstadt. Since then I have worked for private industry all my life.

I have personally seen my American colleagues let go during my time working in California. And yes, some of these companies were mismanaged, but still the managers walked away with hundreds of thousands if not millions in severance packages, while the workers were left with nothing.

I have nothing against the workers at Wal-Mart or any other American company, I shopped there quite often myself. People were very friendly, more so than in Germany to be honest. But Wal-Mart failed here in Germany because it didn't understand German culture. There are a number of good articles you can search on why it didn't work out.

And while you're at it, read up on Wal-Mart and what it's really costing Americans. The small family owned businesses it has put out of business, along with communities it has negatively impacted, plus low wages and lack of health care for its employees is a dismal example of corporate responsibility and pure corporate greed. Sure, you may save a few dollars buying primarily cheap Chinese imports, but at what REAL cost to American workers?

What I do have a problem with, and this isn't from a social-democratic perspective, is that the American corporate model simply is not a good corporate neighbor and fails to treat employees with respect, honesty and dignity.

I don't expect corporations to be given government hand outs like Alstom did with 3.2 billion Euros from the French government in 2004 any more than I do the banks in the US that received billions in tax payer money which resulted in CEOs, directors and untold numbers of managers who received millions in bonuses and salary increases.

We don't operate this way in Germany. Small companies and large, we take care of our own. If the company fails, it goes under, and it happens all the time even here. And yes, corporate giants like VW pay the price when they're dishonest. However in Germany, there is internal loyalty between labor and management, we work together and respect each other in what we all contribute to our success. Is this "social"? Yes, very much so! And what's wrong with mutual trust and respect? What's wrong with being socially responsible? This is exactly why so many German companies will never become publically owned.

My point is America has committed industrial suicide across just about every sector of business; from steel, to textiles to just about any type of manufacturing and production. It's no secret or mystery why so many of you are out of work and will never find decent jobs again.

In all fairness, we know American workers are hard working, honest people who have been screwed by the people in charge, and I mean those in politics and in private business who only care about stockholder returns.

We simply don't want this attitude or these business practices in Germany. It's not a socialist view it's a humanist view. And any American with a brain, and a desire for a job other than a Wal-Mart greeter, shouldn't want it in their country either.

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@ GWTW - "Going on strike should be treated like what it is; quitting. And picketing and other underhanded tactics should be called criminal extortion and people should do hard time."

So you don't believe workers have the right to petition their grievances when they believe they have been mistreated or abused? So how is that any different from civil disobedience as encouraged by your Constitution? The Boston Tea Party was a strike against paying taxes and lack of representation. According to your own definition, they should have all been rounded up and sent to prison.

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