Stan Ridgway (Wall of Voodoo): The New Wave Leon Trotsky?
I remember working as a drone for a 'proud American company' i will call Heck Enterprises Ltd., a manufacturer of electrical connectors and screws. Specifically, I was a tool & dye machinist that survived three total rounds of lay-offs, seen my Aunt who worked at the same company for 30+ years, along with other aging employees receive visits from the companies owner, Mr. Heck, to inquire about their retirement plans and opened up a facility in Juarez, Mexico where Heck Limited housed a vast majority of automatic screw machines purchased and relocated from a facility in New Hampshire during the 2008 'economic turn-down' or as the kids were calling it back then—simply enough cut-backs.
These cut-backs were the first time Heck Enterprises ever laid-off any of its employees. Ever.
I was recalled to work after three-months of unemployment, my Aunt said good-bye to me with tear-filled eyes and after everything, those employees that were not recalled and volunteer retirees made up about 1/3 of Heck Enterprises local workforces reduction.
Boss Heck was right! Obama was elected and the lay-offs, eliminations of the companies bonus program, as well as other incentives were eliminated but unfortunately, he didn't relocate out of the country as he promised.
So all the jobs that were gone through lay-offs and 'volunteered' retirements were not filled. Those jobs however, still needed to be done. So that workload got shoved onto the remanng employees who were told time and time again that 'they were lucky to still have a job.'
Since then, those lucky hard-working survivors have repeatedly told themselves time and time again that 'at least they had a job.'
So when I hear about food recalls, product defects and other problems that seem to arise out of nowhere that represent an apathetic workforce thats seen themselves rewarded and cursed for their hard-work, I get it. It seems infeasible from some how workers could justify short-cuts that lead to lax-adherence to completing standard operating procedures that in-turn leads to accidents and sometimes death... Its the manipulation of the American workers pride that is responsible.
We, as American workers, are the victims of our own apathy—our own fatigue. Our anger has been redirected toward one another. One day, as a whole, we will realize that. The day after that realization will be tomorrow.
See you tomorrow.
WALL OF VOODOO "Tomorrow"
