By Staff
Burlington closing won't be the last
To the editor:
In my letter to the editor about two weeks ago concerning the closing of Burlington Industries, I advised that there would be more plant closings to come. Some that are in process of closing are Garan Inc. in Philadelphia, Wells LaMont glove company in Waynesboro and Landau Uniform Co. in New Albany.
Our governor has said that he has sent out the state's "rapid response" team 31 times in the last 18 months to plants in Mississippi that have closed. He can add the three sewing plants listed above for the first three months of this year. All will be gone by the last of March, this due to the 60-day notice that companies are required by law to give.
Sen. Thad Cochran made a statement when J.B. Sportswear located in Union closed. He said the closing of this sewing plant was an isolated case. At that time, I wrote a letter to The Meridian Star advising his statement was not true and he knew there would be many more sewing plants and textile plants that would close due to trade with other countries. I challenge him to come forward along with U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering and Sen. Trent Lott and tell the people of Mississippi the truth.
Millions of textile and apparel jobs have been given away to other countries over the last 35 years. Textile and apparel is the hardest hit industry in America. Why should Americans spend money with large companies that import 80 percent of what they sell. These garment retail companies care less if they help support American jobs. They would tell you that they do, but the fact is, it is only with low paying jobs in the retail store.
It is very sad to lose any American industry. If Americans do not purchase more American-made apparel, the industry will soon be lost. Containers come in from every port in the world and has come to be a problem for American security and the war against terrorism.
Ron Posey
Toomsuba
Who would turn down a pay raise?
To the editor:
I am writing (writhing, rather) in response to the hoopla over the fire chief's pay raise. I for one, and I am certainly not alone in this, am sick and tired of it. With so much going on in the world, here we are looking like petty fools. Yes, who wouldn't love a pay raise? But on the same hand, who would turn one down when offered? Not many people, I betcha, and certainly not me.
I work in the medical field and we do not receive pay raises either … it's always some reason or another. We put our lives on the line every day of the week and simply get our pay and nothing more (other than the risk of contracting some deadly virus, etc.), but we knew our pay going in to the field. Why aren't the nurses, lab and respiratory techs, etc., in the paper and on the news demanding pay raises?
I would like to believe that it is because we are more dignified than that. We know our salaries (same as the firemen) going in to these positions and we accept this. If you don't like your pay, what about the volunteer firefighters who get not one nickel? Boy, they are really doing this for the love of helping. They are due my utmost respect and admiration for their hard work. Maybe the city could hire them and then they would get a paycheck instead of getting nothing at all.
I have yet to hear one firefighter in New York end up on the news or in the newspaper saying "I don't make enough money." The only reason from what I can see that this (Bill) McBride guy is fueling this personal fire is that he perhaps would like to be mayor and by stirring up this pot and looking like he's for the "little" guy, he will in turn get many many votes. Selfish ulterior motives I could imagine.
Ask yourself if you would turn down a pay raise if you were offered one.
Brenny Crager
Meridian