HARLEY-DAVIDSON --- AMERICAN LEGEND OR UNION-BUSTERS?

Harley-Davidson! America, America! Wave that flag! Intimidate everyone else on the street and for some reason be proud of it! Be the phoniest kind of violent thug you can be, and wrap it in the flag and cross! The very name reminds us of mom, baseball, hot dogs, apple pie ... And scruffy supposed veterans riding alongside 'Rubbies' (Rich Urban Bikers) in an All-American extravaganza of tenderness for the babies, raising money for Jerry's Kids and the like, and threatening to beat the crap out of anyone who disagrees with their (usually phony) two-wheel lifestyle or looks at them sideways.

Why do you think H-D owners often travel in packs? Because, like many animals, as individuals they have no guts. Italian, UK or Japanese bike owner? Beat the crap out of you. Disagree with the Iraq War? Beat the crap out of you. Suggest some of them should use deodorant, especially the women? Beat the crap out of you. Well, I'll say it here and now: This biker-outlaw-grungy image which H-D has carefully concocted and encouraged over the years has turned into one of the most successful and longest-lasting societal scams in the history of the country. You H-D owners think you own one of their bikes becvause it stands for the "common man and woman" and the underdog? Harley-Davidson might appear to hold those beliefs, but they're a huge worldwide money-making company like any other, and when it comes to paying the "common folks" working on their assembly lines, well, they can simply go to hell, as far as H-D is concerned.

Harley-Davidson wants new employees at their massive York, PA facility, where almost 2,800 workers  build the Touring and Softail models, to make less per hour and get fewer benefits then the existing men and women "on the line".

This kind of disgusting "two tier" system caused the months-long lockout of workers from supermarkets in California and other western states two years ago, which hurt everyone. "Two-tier" is favored by some employers because 1) It saves them money in the long term, and 2) it breeds distrust, envy and hatred between the new and the veteran employees.

And H-D wants to install this kind of two-tier system in their factories. To H-D executives, THAT is the "American Way", we guess. The biggest joke, of course, is that until just recently, H-D bikes were known, for good reason, as the worst on the market. It is the engineers, stylists and workers on H-D assembly lines which built the machines that improved the bike's image because of their recently-higher quality. And, oh yeah, Porsche, too. Their gift from the company? A horrendous two-tier pay and seniority system ... And an un-American LOCK-OUT!

Click on this line to read the news story which appeared in many newspapers worldwide when this news about H-D 'locking out' their workers was first revealed.

Harley-Davidson! America, America! Wave that flag! Intimidate everyone else on the street and for some reason be proud of it! Be the phoniest kind of violent thug you can be, and wrap it in the flag and cross! The very name reminds us of mom, baseball, hot dogs, apple pie ... And scruffy supposed veterans riding alongside 'Rubbies' (Rich Urban Bikers) in an All-American extravaganza of tenderness for the babies, raising money for Jerry's Kids and the like, and threatening to beat the crap out of anyone who disagrees with their (usually phony) two-wheel lifestyle or looks at them sideways.

Why do you think H-D owners often travel in packs? Because, like many animals, as individuals they have no guts. Italian, UK or Japanese bike owner? Beat the crap out of you. Disagree with the Iraq War? Beat the crap out of you. Suggest some of them should use deodorant, especially the women? Beat the crap out of you. Well, I'll say it here and now: This biker-outlaw-grungy image which H-D has carefully concocted and encouraged over the years has turned into one of the most successful and longest-lasting societal scams in the history of the country. You H-D owners think you own one of their bikes becvause it stands for the "common man and woman" and the underdog? Harley-Davidson might appear to hold those beliefs, but they're a huge worldwide money-making company like any other, and when it comes to paying the "common folks" working on their assembly lines, well, they can simply go to hell, as far as H-D is concerned.

Harley-Davidson wants new employees at their massive York, PA facility, where almost 2,800 workers  build the Touring and Softail models, to make less per hour and get fewer benefits then the existing men and women "on the line".

This kind of disgusting "two tier" system caused the months-long lockout of workers from supermarkets in California and other western states two years ago, which hurt everyone. "Two-tier" is favored by some employers because 1) It saves them money in the long term, and 2) it breeds distrust, envy and hatred between the new and the veteran employees.

And H-D wants to install this kind of two-tier system in their factories. To H-D executives, THAT is the "American Way", we guess. The biggest joke, of course, is that until just recently, H-D bikes were known, for good reason, as the worst on the market. It is the engineers, stylists and workers on H-D assembly lines which built the machines that improved the bike's image because of their recently-higher quality. And, oh yeah, Porsche, too. Their gift from the company? A horrendous two-tier pay and seniority system ... And an un-American LOCK-OUT!

Click on this line to read the news story which appeared in many newspapers worldwide when this news about H-D 'locking out' their workers was first revealed.