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Posted: 8/7/2023 7:37:06 PM EDT
The workplace features floor-to-ceiling windows and a cafe serving matcha tea, as well as free yoga and dance classes. Every month, workers gather at team-building sessions to drink beer, drive go-karts and go bowling.
This isn't Google. It's a garment factory in Vietnam. Asia, the world's factory floor and the source of much of the stuff Americans buy, is running into a big problem: Its young people, by and large, don't want to work in factories. That's why the garment factory is trying to make its manufacturing floor more enticing, and why alarm bells are ringing at Western companies that rely on the region's inexpensive labor to churn out affordable consumer goods. The twilight of ultracheap Asian factory labor is emerging as the latest test of the globalized manufacturing model, which over the past three decades has delivered a vast array of inexpensively produced goods to consumers around the world. Americans accustomed to bargain-rate fashion and flat-screen TVs might soon be reckoning with higher prices. "There's nowhere left on the planet that's going to be able to give you what you want," said Paul Norriss, the British co-founder of the Vietnam garment factory, UnAvailable, based in Ho Chi Minh City. "People are going to have to change their consumer habits, and so are brands." Workers in their 20s the garment industry's traditional labor force routinely drop out of his company's training program, Norriss said. Those who stay often work for just a couple of years. Norriss hopes that dialing up the workplace cool quotient might make a difference. "Everybody wants to be an Instagrammer or a photographer or a stylist or work at a coffee shop," he said. In response to the crisis, Asian factories have had to increase wages and adopt sometimes costly strategies to retain workers, from improving cafeteria fare to building kindergartens for workers' children. moar  Attached File |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 7:39:02 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 8/7/2023 7:46:33 PM EDT
[#2]
If global prosperity is rising to the degree that sweatshops are not economically viable, THAT IS A GOOD THING.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:02:34 PM EDT
[#3]
Explains their anti-Trump agenda - they want Chinese slave labor to make their cheap stuff.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:08:06 PM EDT
[#4]
Where oh where would someone find people willing to work as ultracheap factory labor...
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:09:26 PM EDT
[#5]
Good.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:11:09 PM EDT
[#6]
PSA says "hold my beer"
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:13:00 PM EDT
[#7]
Oh it will still be made like shit. It just won't carry the throw away price it used too.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:13:55 PM EDT
[#8]
"Everybody wants to be an Instagrammer or a photographer or a stylist or work at a coffee shop," he said.
Well, I suppose it’s good to have goals. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:16:27 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: PSA says "hold my beer" 
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:19:39 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If global prosperity is rising to the degree that sweatshops are not economically viable, THAT IS GOOD THING. Yes. Americans really do not have a problem with slavery, as long as its modern slavery. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:20:56 PM EDT
[#11]
Lots of industrial manufacturing is moving from China to India right now.
It’s only slightly higher cost and the quality is generally better. And it’s a hedge against China and Taiwan getting it on. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:21:01 PM EDT
[#12]
I'd rather have a viable US manufacturing resurgence than disposable clothing and $300 TVs. Anything that raises the cost of foreign produced goods reduces their comparative advantage.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:21:02 PM EDT
[#13]
Good.
Make the stuff here, using modern automation. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 8:36:22 PM EDT
[#14]
China's aggregate wage hour is significantly higher than Mexico's, even with the perpetually suppressed Yuan fixed exchange rate set by the CCP.
And the demographic decline is going to gut their labor pool. And the 35% of their agricultural population that works 1-2 acres per capita, on a terrible farmland to population ratio well in the bottom 50% of world rankings that doesn't support the population as it is. Requiring massive imports. And they pay for the shortfall with the exports drien by the once large cheap labor pool that's now ending. And the population will age out of farming & manufacturing faster than deaths will reduce internal demand. This is why China floods Mexico with Fentanyl & Methamphetamine precursor chemicals for the cartels. Because it's cartel violence and fear/bribery/dysfunction that keeps industry from moving there. Mexico is a net food & oil exporter. They're directly attached by road & rail to US markets. They're closer across the Atlantic to Europe. They can access Asia across the Pacific. And they have no bottlenecks like the Suez & Panama Canals. And for the most part, nobody fears/hates Mexico for much geopoliticaly. So nobody is going to be stopping Mexican imports/exports with a naval blockade over some sort of incident. China is fucked. Hopefully they just take the pain, and don't start WWIII as an excuse to keep the population from going torch-n-pitchforks on the CCP, and also use the war to keep the PLA busy, lest they get "other ideas." |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:01:53 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes. Americans really do not have a problem with slavery, as long as its modern slavery. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: If global prosperity is rising to the degree that sweatshops are not economically viable, THAT IS GOOD THING. Yes. Americans really do not have a problem with slavery, as long as its modern slavery. Indeed. Just as long as that shit is happening in the third world or in some dark alley of some major city they will never set foot in, out of sight out of mind. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:08:21 PM EDT
[#16]
Good, maybe people will learn the meaning of "buy once cry once" again.
I've taken TONS of cheaply made clothing to the thrift stores over the last few years. I had a whole closet that was mostly full of shit that I would scroll past while trying to find a shirt to wear. I'd rather have 1/5 of the clothes I had before, but have them ALL be quality clothes that look great, are stylish, and will last. The cheap clothes (with collars that get screwed up the first time through the wash) are a false economy. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:50:10 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: China's aggregate wage hour is significantly higher than Mexico's, even with the perpetually suppressed Yuan fixed exchange rate set by the CCP. And the demographic decline is going to gut their labor pool. And the 35% of their agricultural population that works 1-2 acres per capita, on a terrible farmland to population ratio well in the bottom 50% of world rankings that doesn't support the population as it is. Requiring massive imports. And they pay for the shortfall with the exports drien by the once large cheap labor pool that's now ending. And the population will age out of farming & manufacturing faster than deaths will reduce internal demand. This is why China floods Mexico with Fentanyl & Methamphetamine precursor chemicals for the cartels. Because it's cartel violence and fear/bribery/dysfunction that keeps industry from moving there. Mexico is a net food & oil exporter. They're directly attached by road & rail to US markets. They're closer across the Atlantic to Europe. They can access Asia across the Pacific. And they have no bottlenecks like the Suez & Panama Canals. And for the most part, nobody fears/hates Mexico for much geopoliticaly. So nobody is going to be stopping Mexican imports/exports with a naval blockade over some sort of incident. China is fucked. Hopefully they just take the pain, and don't start WWIII as an excuse to keep the population from going torch-n-pitchforks on the CCP, and also use the war to keep the PLA busy, lest they get "other ideas." Interesting point. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:53:26 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes. Americans really do not have a problem with slavery, as long as its modern slavery. Correct. It can even still be racial, just not as it was centuries ago. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:55:22 PM EDT
[#19]
 After lying flat, a new trend among China's youth is to “let it rot (bai lan)” which worries CCP |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 9:58:28 PM EDT
[#20]
no one will make shit in less than 20 years on a global scale.
got the next 10 years of workboots in your closet? |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:06:40 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: no one will make shit in less than 20 years on a global scale. got the next 10 years of workboots in your closet? Fortunately we still have the ability to manufacture boots. At least I think we do. Its not quite as much of a challenge standing up that infrastructure as it is to scrape together all the shit you need to produce state of the art microchips on an industrial scale. I suppose we could have a Book of Eli scenario where all the cows have been rendered extinct... |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:16:37 PM EDT
[#22]
I like how he says 'consumers are going to have to change their habits' instead of western based businesses changing their habits
 All the cheap shit that falls apart or breaks after a few years has been bad for consumers not bad for businesses. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:20:15 PM EDT
[#23]
So we need to stock up on rubber dog shit ?
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:22:21 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So we need to stock up on rubber dog shit ? You're going to need at least a 5 year stockpile to survive the apocalypse. You burn through that stuff really quick when you're fighting it out with cannibal biker armies. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:48:39 PM EDT
[#25]
And they will still not come with higher wages.
Young people would rather have a meager life, less stuff and more free time than being a slave at some rubber dog shit factory. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:51:01 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: no one will make shit in less than 20 years on a global scale. got the next 10 years of workboots in your closet? I am retired  Do have three new pair of Army issue desert boots though. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:15:38 PM EDT
[#27]
Speaking to textiles specifically my guess is it has gone from East Asia, to South East Asia, and now a pivot to South Asia
When you're in a race to the bottom you're going to see competition change places from time to time. Countries like China have undergone an incredible transformation since the 90's. With increased wealth, education, and the advent of social media, you're not going to find the same enthusiastic underclass ready to sign their life away to indentured servitude without a couple perks. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want to be on an assembly line making I-phones 12 hours a day, but I'd rather be there than in a sweat shop in Bangladesh. YMMV |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:18:36 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: And they will still not come with higher wages. Young people would rather have a meager life, less stuff and more free time than being a slave at some rubber dog shit factory. A fact that managers in the US are just now starting to realize. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:51:39 PM EDT
[#29]
If your job can be automated, it needs to be. Shitty, repetitive work is not for humans that is for machines.
Humans are for creativity |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:57:20 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Good. Agree completely. America in particular needs to get over its obsession with cheap, meaningless, excess. I’m as guilty as anyone, having a house full of bullshit I have no need or really even want for, but it was a good deal so I snatched it up. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:59:52 PM EDT
[#31]
It’s patriotic to buy shit on credit.
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:02:22 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: And they will still not come with higher wages. Young people would rather have a meager life, less stuff and more free time than being a slave at some rubber dog shit factory. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:09:16 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If your job can be automated, it needs to be. Shitty, repetitive work is not for humans that is for machines. Humans are for creativity And soon, that creativity will be replaced and done by AI....Interesting times ahead. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:11:12 AM EDT
[#34]
What are boomers gonna spend their shekels on?
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:14:44 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What are boomers gonna spend their shekels on? Medical bills. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:16:50 AM EDT
[#36]
GOOD! Excellent.
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:17:18 AM EDT
[#37]
My wife buys a lot of expensive fabric. US/European companies hate working with Chinese companies. They steal everything and are always trying to renegotiate after the contract is signed and before the product is delivered.
China has already peaked. It will be interesting if they can manage the decline without it turning into a murderous cleansing. Can't wait for the CCP to sell American politicians for pennies on the dollar. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:18:07 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'd rather have a viable US manufacturing resurgence than disposable clothing and $300 TVs. Anything that raises the cost of foreign produced goods reduces their comparative advantage. Hint: Americans don’t want those shit manufacturing jobs either. They would also rather be instagrammers or baristas |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:21:23 AM EDT
[#39]
Sounds like cheap labor is no longer a viable excuse to manufacture things overseas.
Return manufacturing jobs to America for American workers. End EBT handouts. If you want to eat, you’ll get a job. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:23:25 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Agree completely. America in particular needs to get over its obsession with cheap, meaningless, excess. I'm as guilty as anyone, having a house full of bullshit I have no need or really even want for, but it was a good deal so I snatched it up. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Good. Agree completely. America in particular needs to get over its obsession with cheap, meaningless, excess. I'm as guilty as anyone, having a house full of bullshit I have no need or really even want for, but it was a good deal so I snatched it up. I'm pretty tired of it but saying no is pretty easy when its not really cheap anymore. My daughter loves Claires but stupid little China trinkets that cost a quarter to make that sell for $20+ are a no go. The US consumer got swindled by exported jobs but having less buying power was rationalized with the excuse of cheaper goods. Now that cheap shit isn't cheap anymore while we get left with lower spending power and expensive but shitty products. 10-20 years ago people warned of short-term profit for long-term loss and I think we're at the point of the long-term loss phase. We have had several conversations in our household the past few months about finding ways to cut back even further on expenses and not buying anything unless we really need to. The people that benefited from the short-term gains laughed their way to the bank a long time ago. I have two teens who are about to be adults and I'm certainly trying to instill a sense of saving and living simple lives while they're young. Like a get back to the basics mentality. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:25:01 AM EDT
[#41]
Good.
It’s fed an addiction of declining wage and standards of living in this country. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:25:57 AM EDT
[#42]
My experience owning two large apartment complex’s and 20 years in aviation.
If you pay them, they will come. Such a simple concept for a stable business. Yet so many struggle with this. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:27:34 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My wife buys a lot of expensive fabric. US/European companies hate working with Chinese companies. They steal everything and are always trying to renegotiate after the contract is signed and before the product is delivered. China has already peaked. It will be interesting if they can manage the decline without it turning into a murderous cleansing. Can't wait for the CCP to sell American politicians for pennies on the dollar. Believe it or not the Chinese don't actually believe in contracts the way Westerners think of them. Like it literally doesn't exist in their culture the way we do things with a handshake or a signed contract. To them it's more of a suggestion than something they're legally obligated to uphold. If give your IP to a Chinese company the reality is you're giving them license to copy it and undercut you. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:29:51 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If your job can be automated, it needs to be. Shitty, repetitive work is not for humans that is for machines. Humans are for creativity Not all humans who need jobs are creative. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:29:55 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Good. It's fed an addiction of declining wage and standards of living in this country. Thats why they are trying to import as many 3rd world people as they can. There are people on the right that support mass immigration solely due to a diluted employee pool and being able to pay lower wages. The US Chamber of Commerce which is major right wing lobby is all in for whatever type of immigration they can get legal or not. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 12:30:14 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My experience owning two large apartment complex’s and 20 years in aviation. If you pay them, they will come. Such a simple concept for a stable business. Yet so many struggle with this. The problem is that the market sets prices. So, I can charge $50 for a hamburger, and pay my cooks $35/hr. But then no one will come eat at my restaurant, because no one in their right mind will pay $50 for a hamburger. People always say “pay more” but fail to consider that some goods and services are not worth more. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 1:40:27 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The problem is that the market sets prices. So, I can charge $50 for a hamburger, and pay my cooks $35/hr. But then no one will come eat at my restaurant, because no one in their right mind will pay $50 for a hamburger. People always say "pay more" but fail to consider that some goods and services are not worth more. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: My experience owning two large apartment complex's and 20 years in aviation. If you pay them, they will come. Such a simple concept for a stable business. Yet so many struggle with this. The problem is that the market sets prices. So, I can charge $50 for a hamburger, and pay my cooks $35/hr. But then no one will come eat at my restaurant, because no one in their right mind will pay $50 for a hamburger. People always say "pay more" but fail to consider that some goods and services are not worth more. People also fail to consider that some business models are unsustainable and just because something is labeled as a business doesn't mean its a good idea or they know what they are doing. If your business can't bring in enough money to employ people then that's the market saying there really isn't a need for you and the value you brought to the market wasn't at a high enough bar to be a stable business. There is also a reason why most small businesses never make it past the first year or two. Finding the right model that brings money in and allows for expansion is really hard. Timing the market right is really hard and involves a fair amount of luck. Lots of people with good ideas end up closing the doors just due to poor timing. Where people get lost once they do have some success is losing sight of what made them gain that initial success. Like if you own a restaurant and lucked out with a really good chef but he comes to you for a raise. Is gambling on replacing him really worth it? Saving $5/hr might end up costing you your entire business if you say no. Saying no to employees who want more money or slighting them on a promotion or to keep WFH can end up costing money but at that scale its easy to just chalk it up as the cost of doing business. There's been a real trend in American business to maximize the short term and ignore the long term consequences. A CEO can make millions a year while riding the ship into the ground and guess what? He still made millions and millions a year and made more money than most people do in their lifetimes just to ruin a once successful business. They laugh on the way to the bank and will get another job doing the same shit because other people made millions, too. Thats the sellout of America that is happening everyday business by business. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 6:26:50 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If global prosperity is rising to the degree that sweatshops are not economically viable, THAT IS A GOOD THING. I would agree. Cheap/slave labor needs to die. Too bad if it's inconvenient for some. |
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Posted: 8/8/2023 6:36:29 AM EDT
[#49]
Internet has made the world a much smaller place.
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Posted: 8/8/2023 6:42:04 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted: no one will make shit in less than 20 years on a global scale. got the next 10 years of workboots in your closet? Damn straight I do. However, I don't have ten years of work left in me. |
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