Manufacture this, punk!

U.S. Steel, Alcoa, Goodyear, and other manufacturing companies have joined with the United Steelworkers labor union to form the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), aiming to preserve and promote manufacturing in the United States.

The alliance, which announced its formation yesterday, asserts that the decline of manufacturing undercuts America's long-term competitiveness, its research capabilities and its ability to produce sophisticated weapons needed for national security. The alliance aims to be partly a policy research organization, tackling subjects like international trade practices, inadequate enforcement of trading regulations by the U.S. government, health policy, and renewable energy.

In a Marketplace report last night, the executive director of the AAM, Scott Paul, quoted Ben Frankin's famous proclamation at the beginning of the American Revolution, "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we will hang separately."

Paul says the U.S. has lost more than three million manufacturing jobs in six years. He blames China -- and says the alliance will target what it calls Beijing's unfair trade practices. The group will also try to convince 20-somethings that manufacturing is hip.

Their new blog, "Manufacture This," will be the voice of the AAM.
And check out their bios!

Scott Paul--AAM Executive Director
"I'm a patriotic liberal who thinks good jobs are worth fighting for."

Horace Cooper--AAM Deputy Director
"Some might say conservative or even right-wing. I refer to it as just 'telling the truth.' "

Jonathan Swain--AAM Communications Director
"A voice of reason and common sense from the Midwest."

AWESOME. Looks like this group has all of their bases covered.

On a side note, it's interesting that Goodyear should join with United Steelworkers, considering the union's strike last year, which reduced the company's sales by about $200 million.

Anyway, speaking of hip, did you know that we have a new myspace page? We are trying just as hard as these manufacturers to show that facility management and site selection is, well, cool.
And check me out:

Pearl Gabel--BF Associate Editor
"I'm patriotic but skeptical, liberal but conservative, and a speaker of truth and gossip hailing from the Mideast. Some might say 'she's just being silly.' I say, 'I'm just keeping it real.' "

Sources: International Herald Tribune, The Dickonson Herald, National Public Radio, Manufacture This