Wisconsin officials mobilize to retain Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson pulling out its factory out of Milwaukee? That would be like General Motors abandoning Detroit, Kellogg's waving goodbye to Battle Creek, Mich., or Coca-Cola disappearing from Atlanta. But Harley is warning its unions that it could be leaving cheeseheads behind.
The Associated Press quotes a Harley spokesman as saying that significant "cost gaps" that are costing the company millions need to be closed -- mostly dealing with worker pay and lack of fully flexible work schedules.
If the gaps can't be closed, hey, it's a big country.
Now Wisconsin politicians are mobilizing to try to keep H-D alive and well in the Badger State. The company is talking to its union, a local of the United Steelworkers International Union, about what it needs to keep making engines in Milwaukee. About 1,320 jobs are at stake.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett issued a statement saying he's going to do everything to keep those big Harley engines firing up in his city for the time to come. But as the AP points out, Harley is having to contend with an aging customer base and overseas competition. The bigger opportunities may lie overseas for Harley.
reprinted from the USA Today).