GE Workers Say: ‘Screw That (Made in China) Bulb’

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/05/12/ge-workers-say-screw-that-made-in-china-bulb/

GE Workers Say: ‘Screw That (Made in China) Bulb’

by James Parks, May 12, 2007

How many U.S. workers does it take to make a light bulb? If General Electric has its way, the answer is none. GE, the company that was built on Thomas Edison’s light bulbs, is putting workers and consumers in a position of having to choose whether they want to save the environment or save U.S. jobs.

GE is promoting new, energy-saving bulbs known as compact fluorescents, or CFLs, which are made in China. These bulbs last longer and use less energy than the typical incandescent bulbs found in most U.S. homes—but they can cost up to 10 times as much.



If GE has its way, it will no longer manufacture light bulbs in the United States. Since 1980, employment in GE lighting plants in this country has dropped by 68 percent. If everyone switched to the Chinese-made CFL bulbs, all U.S. plants would close.

Instead of letting GE make all the profits and send jobs to China, GE’s workers, who are represented by 13 unions, have launched a “Screw That Bulb” campaign. They are mobilizing to save the environment and their jobs.

FULL story at link.

when the incandescent was first produced.

Edit: Too flip an answer now that I've read the OA, sorry. If GE wants to outsource their jobs, perhaps they shouldn't get any government contracts. I'd be surprised if there weren't some taxpayer money involved in that research too. GE ought to suck it up and retool our plants and keep our workers.

Money does not trump peace.

...customers left because we've all lost our jobs, it won't matter where they manufacture their products because there will be NO MARKET for them.