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Mike Ivey: Wisconsin's got the job loss blues

Mike Ivey  —  5/07/2008 5:20 am

Nobody needs to remind Gov. Jim Doyle it's more fun being in charge during good times than bad.

Doyle had a rough ride the past couple of weeks, what with GM announcing it was eliminating a full shift at its Janesville plant, Harley Davidson cutting 370 jobs and Miller Brewing likely moving its headquarters out of Milwaukee. Talk about nameplate companies dissing the home team.

On the auto front, it was only 10 months ago that GM officials visited The Capital Times, touting the automaker's commitment to Wisconsin.

At the time they noted that half the trucks being produced in Janesville were "flex-fuel" vehicles that can run on E-85, a blended fuel made largely from distilled corn. They also talked about GM's roots in southern Wisconsin dating to 1923.

History apparently wasn't enough to preserve the jobs of some 750 GM workers, who heard last week the company was eliminating a production shift of its full-size SUVs. It was the latest blow to Janesville, which has seen the number of GM workers there fall from 5,000 as recently as 2001 to barely 2,000 once the latest cuts are factored in.

Almost before the news hit The Associated Press last Monday, Doyle's office was out with a statement vowing to form a "rapid response team" to meet with displaced workers. He also talked about getting Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits from the U.S. Department of Labor to extend unemployment benefits.

But to his credit, Doyle didn't make any promises about getting those jobs back. They are gone, a result of GM's short-sighted investment in building gas-guzzlers -- helped in part by state assistance -- and the ongoing demise of the U.S. auto industry.

Doyle also practiced damage control last week on a trade mission to London, where he met with the CEO of SABMiller about the brewer's future following its merger with Molson Coors. In February, Molson Coors Vice Chairman Pete Coors said the headquarters of the new brewing giant is not likely to be in Milwaukee or Denver.

After his meeting in London, Doyle said, "There's no doubt Miller Brewing has a very, very strong future in Wisconsin." Doyle must have been referring to the amount of Lite, Genuine Draft and Steel Reserve swilled by this state's beer drinkers.

In recent months, Doyle has also watched Philips Lighting Electronics announce it would close its plant in Boscobel, eliminating 200 jobs; papermaker NewPage say it was eliminating nearly 450 jobs in Niagra and Appleton; Montreal-based Domtar close its paper mill in Port Edwards, resulting in the loss of 500 jobs; and Famous Footwear take 270 jobs from Madison to St. Louis.

Bottom line, Wisconsin is facing some major headwinds in a competitive global economy, and there's not much a governor can do aside from putting on a good face.

Thankless position

One job in need of applicants is the position to lead Madison's Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development.

The city started discussing the post nearly two years ago, but plans were set back when Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's choice of former School Board liberal Bill Clingan as department leader outraged some in the local business community.

The new deadline for applications is Friday, but so far no one has applied. Not to worry, says George Twigg, mayoral spokesman.

"It's not at all unusual to have applicants for these jobs wait until the closing day to submit their information," he says. "If we don't get a pool of applicants that seems satisfactory, we always have the option of extending the application deadline."

Twigg also says the city has found a new chairman for its Economic Development Commission but wouldn't drop a name yet. Former Chairman Mark Bugher left last year in part over the Clingan flap.

Mike Ivey  —  5/07/2008 5:20 am