Crying the Blues Over Transportation...

We're supposed to get all emotional over this.

Eric Isbister is astonished by the lack of a regional transportation system in southeast Wisconsin, and he doesn’t understand why political leaders can’t find common ground to solve the transportation problem.

“If we’re going to grow Milwaukee and add more jobs to the economy, we simply need more public transportation,” said Isbister, a native New Yorker who, with his wife, Mary, acquired Mequon’s General MetalWorks Corp. in 1997.

The name "Isbister" is familiar to Milwaukeeans, too. A fellow named Bill Isbister was a high-profile industrialist here back in the 1960's/'70's.

Anyhoo,

General MetalWorks has a history of hiring general laborers from Milwaukee’s central city, providing training and promoting the minority workers into better-paying manufacturing jobs. The company, with estimated revenue of $14 million in 2008 and 80 employees, is struggling to find workers, especially welders, at its second assembly plant in Slinger.

Hmmmmm.

A commenter on the original article (linked above) wonders why Mr. Isbister purchased a business in Mequon and then added a location in Slinger (!!!!!) and suddenly has problems with transportation.

A good question. After all, the 30th/Burleigh industrial corridor has PLENTY of empty factory space, as does the Valley, and (for that matter), Butler, West Allis, West Milwaukee, the Near South Side of Milwaukee......we could go on, and on...

It's particularly interesting that Isbister complains about "welders." He's only competing with the 8,000-lb. canary--Bucyrus--in trying to find them.

Perhaps it's wages?

Benefits?

Or should Mr. Isbister hire people and TRAIN them?

No.

Instead, 'the Region' should provide transportation, according to Mr. Isbister.

Most industrials understand that if you want labor, you go where the labor is. Mequon is not a haven for welders, and Slinger is halfway to the Moon from Milwaukee. Seems to me that Mr. Isbister didn't study the rulebook too carefully before his purchase(s).

There is a worthwhile debate about transportation. But Mr. Isbister's complaints ring a bit hollow and lack credibility.

HT: FoxPolitics