Oklahoma companies examine ways to manufacture a steady work force

[gopbuster]

Source: Daily Oklahoman

By Debbie Blossom
Business Writer

Oklahoma manufacturers need workers and they need them now.

That appeal backed repeated concerns at this year's Oklahoma Conference on Manufacturing about the critical shortage of workers.


Even as manufacturers Tuesday discussed ways to stay competitive and innovative in a global playing field, company executives said the biggest issue still is filling jobs.

"What I worry about the most is people, and recruiting staff,” Doug Sullivent of Muncie Power Products said. "To find new employees, it's tough.”

Sullivent was part of a panel discussion, led by Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance president Roy Peters, that touched on current economic conditions, lean manufacturing, exporting and the state's short supply of workers.

"Finding skilled labor is a huge issue,” said Anthony Chandler, who represented Wilco Machine & Fab in Marlow. "We're going to have to reintroduce manufacturing to younger workers ... we need to get serious about redesigning the curriculum at schools.”



Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-companies-examine-ways-to-manufacture-a-steady-work-force/article/3302463

---

Need a Job?

[Indenturedebtor]

1. Well they told us all to train to be secretaries

Now they want machinists. So lets all train to be machinists and then when they can make it 1/100th of a cent cheaper in Mexico we can all learn to be secretaries again.

Stop outsourcing and people would adapt like they did back in the good ol days of American Prosperity.

[okmonyj]

2. skilled labor?

as an okie, most of the youths I've seen lately seem best qualified to screw up my order at wendys

[CornField]

3. Curious how much this has been impacted by immigration laws

Oklahoma has passed some of the most strict immigration laws.

[Hugin]

4. Hmm... Have they tried a living wage, job security, and benefits?

No?

:eyes:

I hate these stupid 'blame it on labor' articles.

[The Croquist]

6. Thank you very much!

Illegal workers cost low skill workers money. If you eliminate illegals the salary for low skill Americans will go up.

Illegal workers aren't doing jobs that American workers aren't willing to do. They are doing the jobs that American workers aren't willing to do for that little money.

RAISE THE STINKING SALARIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[guitar man]

5. fuck 'em

That goddamned Frank Keating beat this state to death with fearmongering to get us to pass "right to work" back in '02 and it has been a shit sandwich ever since. When it passed, unionized jobs and companies packed up and left here, taking their apprenticeship programs with them. That's what they are failing to mention here, but I wouldn't expect a right-wing POS rag like the Oklahoman to mention that.

And the $20-30 an hour they are mentioning is a fairytale. More like $12-15 at most. They may advertise it, but good luck actually getting it. :eyes:

[Yavin4]

7. If You Have A Shortage, You Raise Prices

In this case, raise wages and they will come. This all sounds like a fraudulent argument to get cheaper immigrant labor.