August 30, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 22

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Friday, August 30, 2019 Opinion Page “ElkCituNews BRAZIL DOESN'T NEED Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 ANY HE ‘Factory’ sheds light on labor By Don Munsch, Editor What viewers learn from watching “American Factory” can be startling and eye-opening even before the final reel and credits roll. But before they roll, we learn this: 375 million jobs glob- ally will be eliminated in the next decade because of auto- mation. Let that sink in: 375 million. “American Factory,” a documentary about a Chinese A friend f Or NOW billionaire who opened an automotive glass factory with both Chinese and American employees in Moraine, Ohio [outside Dayton], was released last week, and I watched the film the other night at the gym while I worked out. [I’m quite the multitasker, huh?] Some viewers will be dispirited by what they see in the film, because what is happening at the automotive glass Glynda Lomax is a Chris- emailing, but got no reply. extended absence, her well factory in Moraine, Ohio, portends what could happen in tian author and podcasterMonths later, I finally gave wishes no longer touched the American job market, as manufacturing jobs created in who resides in the Ozark up. My friend was nowhere my heart, seeing how little the future won’t - or will barely — pay a livable wage. Mountains of Northern Ar- to be found. my friendship had meant to Other viewers will merely shrug and say, “Oh, well. kansas with her two very Just recently, I received a her in the interim. Her words Business is business, whether it’s the Chinese or American bossy dogs. She wrote her short communication from no longer rang true, since model. We're all just cogs in a machine.” first About Life..column in my friend with no mention she had given no thought to That wasn’t always the case, though. At one point in 2003 for a newspaper in of where she had been in the howI was faring in the time “American Factory,” a man giving a speech at a union Dallas. She is planning her intervening months, why she of her absence. In that time I organization rally said something changed about society next book. had stopped calling or writ- had gone through more than decades ago, that management changed its mind-set about ing, or what had happened one crisis and many changes labor. “False friends are like our had taken place in my life, to make her abandon our shadow, keeping close to us changes my friend had not friendship. And I wondered True enough, I happen to think it was not just the orga- while we walk in the sun- how it was that our friend- been around to share or help Glynda Lomax nized labor that was targeted, but all labor. Management shine but leaving us when ship had meant so very little me through. wanted to shrink labor costs, obviously, and who can blame we cross into the shade.” — to her. I was not compelled to dropped out of my life, Ihave someone who can manufacture their goods at cheaper pric- Christian Novell Bovee T could only come to the reopen my heart and life made many new friends, es overseas? But as we all know, a thriving middle class to her, knowing she would conclusion that she saw the friends who do not love and was built in places like Ohio and other Rustbelt states with Some time back, I made friendship much differently likely disappear again when then walk away when they good-paying manufacturing jobs. the acquaintance of a fe- than I did. I had had other she no longer had need of feel they have something In “American Factory,” Chinese billionaire Cao Dewang male friend and a delightful female friends who disap- me, or when another man better to do. Friends who reopens an old GM factory building in 2016 in Moraine to friendship began to bloom. peared the minute a romantic entered her life. I had no truly value friendships and start his glass company, Fuyao Glass America, to supply We began calling each oth- relationship appeared on the desire to be tossed aside un- nurture them. Friends who glass to automobile companies. er, exchanging long emails, horizon, but I didn’t think til my friendship was again call to say hello and how are Sounds good on paper, especially with an eager labor texting, sending each other she would be one of them. I convenient for her. It wasn’t you, who call and write and pool and the community still reeling from the closed Gen- gifts and just generally shar- missed our late night phone that I did not love my friend ing our lives. We had much calls, funny emails and daily for I had been a true friend spend time nurturing our eral Motors plant. But Chinese employees train the Ameri- friendship even if they live cans at Fuyao, and this match of different approaches to in common and enjoyed dis- texts. I still cared what was to her, but we must draw a work is a bad marriage from the start: Americans are casual cussing the state of the world happening with her after her line on letting people use us far away. Friends who want and enjoy camaraderie with their coworkers. Chinese man- and the progress in our lives. crisis was past, just as much for their own gain when they friends to be a part of their agement expects workers to dutifully go about their work Not long after, my friend as I cared what happened to give nothing back. lives whether they need their and refrain from making small talk, sounding off com- confided she was dealing her during it. But apparently I had considered our friendship or just enjoy their plaints about working conditions and so on. with a crisis in her life. I be- her new romantic relation- friendship give and take company. gan looking for ways to help ship had taken priority in her until she disappeared but I am finding I no lon- When the GM plant closed in 2008, thousands of jobs her, to be supportive and life and her friends were no the anguish of wondering ger have time for so-called were lost and thousands of families were affected. “Ameri- walk with her through what longer important to her. whether she was alright and can Factory” shines a light on some of the people who went was going on. For months, I We had talked late into the why she had gone away were friends who only want to be to work for the glass factory after working at GM. did all I could to assist her night many times when she not something I wanted to my friend when it suits them We hear stories from the workers that take on the same as she walked out the crisis. said she needed someone to suffer a second time. I could or until another romantic general theme: Working at GM was better, both in terms of Some time later, the prob- listen, and I had provided find no explanation when I partner comes along. salary and working conditions. Workers at the glass com- lem finally resolved and she every possible help to her searched my heart other than I think I'll pass on answer- pany earned less than half of what they earned at GM. At was happy again. One day in her distress and done my she had only appeared to be ing that recent communica- the end of “American Factory,” we learn that the starting during our conversation, she best to be a good friend to my friend but in fact did not tion. pay at the factory is $14 an hour. GM workers were making mentioned someone new her, and yet as soon as her care once she had a new man After all, what can you $29 and some change per hour years before. she was interested in. crisis passed, she had disap- in her life whether she main- say without being unkind And working conditions changed, too: One man laments And then my friend dis- peared from my life and our tained our friendship or not. appeared. She just vanished friendship. Clearly, she valued roman- to a friend who is really no how he worked at GM for 15 years and never had an ac- friend at all? cident, and the camera pans to his leg to show him in a from our friendship as if she Recently I received a tic relationships and grossly had never been there. No communication from her underestimated the value of “I didn’t lose a_ friend, walking boot. emails, no phone calls, no again after over a year of a true friend. I just realized I never had Chinese management, we discover, doesn’t care much texts. I tried calling her and hearing nothing. After her Since the time my friend one.” - Unknown about safety standards or worker rights and doesn’t under- stand the concept of the 40-hour work week. We see this mind-set extending to even the factory breakroom, where an American worker complains to an American higher-up Count on it: Census results have major that the Chinese management wants to convert the break- room into part of the manufacturing wing. Where will the employees eat? Well, management would prefer employ- impact on state budget and services ees don’t take breaks, or that’s the impression that is left. The filmmakers, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, ven- By Oklahoma Institute person follow-up by Cen- to ensure their population is as possible to ensure every for Child Advocacy CEO sus workers helped to reach accurately counted. In Cali- single Oklahoman is count- ture to a Fuyao plant in China and meet with some work- some people who do did not Joe Dorman fornia, state leaders made a ed in 2020. It will be easier ers there. In a glum scene, workers describe their lives and Every ten years, the Unit- respond by mail, but many tremendous commitment to this year to fill out your cen- how much they miss their families because they are taught work comes first. Filmmakers also capture scenes of work- ed States Census Bureau Oklahomans remained un- California Complete Count sus forms as you will now be takes a headcount of our na- counted. — Census 2020 (California allowed to submit informa- ers toiling in an unsafe, militaristic-style environment. tional population. This cen- A state being undercount- Census Office) outreach tion online or over the phone What's amazing is how much access the filmmakers were sus is mandated by the U.S. ed on the Census has a ma- and communication efforts once verification is received given to employees and to Dewang, known as Chairman Constitution and is used to jor fiscal impact. Over $880 by investing $187.2 million that you are providing the Cao. The Chairman, as he is known, doesn’t show much re- determine everything from billion are distributed to over several years toward proper information for your straint in expressing his negative views of American work- the number of congressional over 300 federal programs strategies and activities that household. Our organiza- ers or his ongoing disenchantment with how the American seats awarded to each state that are dispersed to states will help ensure an accurate tions hope this will improve factory progresses. Yet, the film doesn’t present him in to the amount of federal dol- based on Census-generated and successful count. Colo- our response rate and allow negative light, as filmmakers let him speak for himself and lars states get for roads and figures, according to the Na- rado has invested $6 million more resources to come to employ a show-don’t-tell approach. Still, many Americans bridges, education, public tional Conference of State in similar efforts; Arizona Oklahoma to provide better who watch the film may not see Cao or the Chinese man- health and other initiatives. Legislatures. has allocated $7.5 million; opportunities for improve- agement/labor model or work culture in a positive light. The 2010 Census reported A conservative estimate and New Mexico is spend- ments in our quality oflife. Of course, some Americans who resent organized labor that the population of the of dollars associated with ing $3.5 million. If you would like to sign will dislike some of the American employees’ attitudes and U.S. grew to 309 million, each person counted by the Oklahoma has not appro- up for this effort to assist or employees who want to unionize at the plant. Employees an increase of about 10 per- Census is $1600 annually. priated additional state dol- Oklahoma nonprofits with eventually vote on the union matter, but not before em- cent from the 2000 Census. For Oklahoma, with our es- lars yet, but our agencies are the count next year, go to the ployees are advised by an anti-union consultant to eschew That number will continue timated population of about doing their best with the re- “events” page at OICA.org unionization. At one point, an American employee — in one to rise, although we will not 4 million, that translates sources they have. Our state to register for a free meet- of the best scenes in the movie — walks through the plant know by how much until the to $6.4 billion a year. For Department of Commerce ing on the morning of Octo- with a sign imploring his coworkers to unionize. results of the 2020 Census every person not counted, has done exceptional work ber 3 at the Oklahoma State He is escorted out of the factory, and when he reaches the are released. Oklahoma is subtract $1,600. For every to add about 85,000 previ- Capitol. The OICA, the parking lot, he turns to the camera and says, “Sometimes expected to top 4 million in person we can find and ac- ously unknown addresses Oklahoma Center for Non- you gotta be Sally Field,” a reference to the movie “Norma this next count. curately report, add that to the list for the Census to profits, and other organiza- Rae.” Oklahoma experienced a same amount to funding for contact by mail, and eventu- tions working in a collabor- “American Factory” arrives at a time when Dayton has severe undercount in 2010. roads, health care and other ally in-person interviews if ative effort will share ideas been in the news and comes during a prolonged trade battle The Census Bureau report- resources. there is no response. on how to work together to between the U.S. and China. What happens with tariffs can ed that only 75 percent of Those dollar figures illus- To assist our state effort, a make sure Oklahoma is not only be guessed at, but a world in which 375 million jobs households in Oklahoma trate why many states are network of Oklahoma non- undercounted, as it has been will be lost can’t be a good development. responded by mail. An in- investing heavily in efforts profits will be doing as much in the past.