Untitled Document
This week Burton Snowboards announced that they are moving their manufacturing
operations to Austria, citing the costs associated with manufacturing in Vermont
as the reason for the move. I was in Montpelier the day the decision was announced
and was shocked to hear some opine that the move wasn’t such a big deal:
after all, "only" 43 jobs were being lost. And, they noted, Burton
has said that they would add R&D jobs. I thought all jobs were worth saving
and that all jobs had value. Apparently, to some in Montpelier, all work is
not equal. Some have a more erudite air about them. Too bad.
So while it is true that Burton is staying in Vermont and while it is true
that higher-end R&D jobs will be created, are folks really missing the fact
that good paying, (what were traditionally called) blue collar manufacturing
jobs are leaving? Are they missing the fact that the quintessential Vermont
success story (Burton) is publicly stating that manufacturing is no longer viable
in this state? Can they be blind to the fact that not every person who wishes
to live and work in this state can be an R&D engineer; or a software programmer;
or work in any number of other knowledge based jobs? Vermont needs jobs for
folks who either prefer to do other kinds of labor or for whom certain jobs
reflect the best that they can be. We cannot continue to create a business environment
where the cost of doing business is prohibitive for all but a few companies.
Vermont cannot continue to turn a blind eye to large companies that would prefer
to be here but who must respond to stockholders' needs. If Vermont wants to
play in the global economy, we need to act like we do. Creating a business environment
for boutique businesses is not going to create a world-class hub of economic
development activity.
It is time to wake up and smell the coffee…………. and
remember the time when young Olympian Gold Medal winners rode Burton boards
made in Burlington, Vermont.
