PUBLIC FORUM\Readers have their say on downsizing, mergers.

Millions of Americans are out of work because of corporate downsizing. Downsizing has been justified by corporations as their responsibility to stockholders to improve profits and increase dividends.

But what about corporate responsibility to the workers who helped generate these profits? Henry Ford once stated that he increased employee wages so that more people could buy his cars. This kind of approach to business helped many workers realize the American dream and created a desire in people around the world to come to our country for a better life.

How do we restore to the workers their appropriate share of corporate profits so that they may once again have an opportunity to work and achieve the American dream? Governmental policies, regulations and tax structures must be revised and redeveloped to ensure these opportunities for the people.

Unfortunately the influence of the special-interest groups completely dominates the development of governmental policies by both Republicans and Democrats, making change impossible. This influence is secured and maintained primarily through the contribution of huge amounts of money to the election campaigns of candidates for public office, especially incumbents.

It is absolutely necessary that this influence be eliminated. We must use every means possible to persuade Congress to enact strong, meaningful campaign finance reform legislation now.

- Monroe Pederson

Lancaster

We need to be Dodgers. A good analogy, not perfect of course, is that in the face of continued corporate and government downsizing and restructuring, we need to see ourselves as team members in the majors.

To get to play in the majors it takes a lot of preparation, hard work, ability and skill, thick skin with sensitivity, luck and contacts. Once we are in, we must continue to perform against both absolute and relative measures. This is true whether we are on the team in the front office, the back office, on the field, or in the parking lot.

We are individuals and team-members at the same time. We all know that, possibly through no fault of our own, next season, or sometimes mid-season, we may be out. If this were to happen, and if we are good, we may get to join the Padres, not quite the Dodgers, but No. 2 can't be that bad.

Worst case: We may end up in the minors. The money may not be the same, but we should still be able to use our skills if we have all along prepared ourselves for the possible, maybe the inevitable.

The role of government in all of this? I would like my government to serve me like a good reference librarian. Be very knowledgeable about what's there and where things are. Point me in the right direction. Do not be intrusive. Give this kind of help only if I ask for it, and only then if I have not made myself a pest.

Otherwise, leave me alone.

- Jim Hetherman

Burbank

We oppose the merger of First Interstate Bank and Wells Fargo because it runs counter to the public interest for the following reasons:

Both banks are profitable.

The merger would leave two banks, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, with more than 60 percent of the California market, a huge concentration of power.

Reports indicate some 8,000 people, mostly in the Southern California area, will lose their jobs.

This is an ill-considered plan that stifles competition in California's bank marketplace and actually reduces services to the public.

- Walt and Lynne Meares

Burbank

With downsizing one can do the following: Learn a new skill, attend college, take a vacation or sabbatical, start your own business, consult, teach, train, coach others, or hope you have required skills so if downsized your job won't go. I feel one must have continued education to survive.

Both unions and business should kick onto a fund for employee training for any field where there is growth. Have you ever seen a union downsize? We pay dues get no action to meet our education needs. Is this fair?

- Steve Russell 

Glendale

American employees have to start thinking like the companies they work for and think of themselves first. Blind company loyalty is a thing to put in the history books.

We need to look at ourselves as the primary resource in the business world. Perhaps if employees as a whole began looking at each company as a disposable commodity, and wield their capitalistic powers by refusing to deal with companies that treat others with such thoughtlessness, the corporations may begin to find that it is in their economic interest to stop and think about human consequences before they swing the ax.

- Bob Loza

Burbank

We have layoffs and corporate downsizing because today's consumers demand high-quality products at very low prices. Downsizing is not the result of corporate greed. Automation is required to meet the consumers' demand for both high quality and low prices.

The major cost of any business is labor. This includes the labor cost included in the cost of materials and services purchased.

After World War II and through the '50s and '60s, companies could sell just about anything they made without being overly concerned with quality or value. The increasing cost of labor and fringe benefits could easily be passed on to the consumers. Good examples are the American automobiles of that period.

Large numbers of highly skilled and highly paid employees can produce high-quality products. It is difficult, frequently impossible, for them to produce lower cost products than automation. Today's consumer demands both.

If consumers reject a high-quality product because it is not price-competitive, the company will not be able to provide jobs for anyone. We need an expanding economy to provide good jobs for all Americans.

- William F. Wild

Sunland

Most companies - including government - are in the process of downsizing. Automation has and will continue to replace human beings in the workplace. We pre-boomers are getting ready to retire and the boomers themselves are not so far behind us. So within the next 10 or 15 years, only a handful of us will be employed. We will be asked to pay all of the taxes. We will be making products but who will buy them?

We are in for some really rough times and only a complete reversal of the downsizing process will stop them. We must employ people. It is people who ultimately buy products, pay taxes and create families and communities.

- Charles J. Thomas

North Hollywood

Ever since the 1980s, corporate America has been on a merger spree that has had an irreversible and profoundly negative effect on the American way of life. As the baby boomers mature, corporate America has concluded that it is going to be too expensive to provide health benefits, 401Ks, retirement and the other benefits that long-term employees have worked for and come to expect.

Also, large companies can merge and thus downsize thereby eliminating many jobs that are perceived as duplicate. Under this scenario the worker that is left can just do twice the work because "we" gave him a computer and besides he won't argue because he is in fear for his job.

Under the guise of being able to compete in the global economy, the current strata of upper management is destroying the buying power of the American populace. The housing market and retail sales are weak and will only get weaker as workers fear for their jobs and their future.

Record profits and the stock market should stay strong however, at the expense of the millions who have lost their jobs. Don't be misled into believing that the new jobs being created are long term or in any way as good as the old ones.

- John Kuhn 

Studio City

I think that all of the mergers and downsizing are a bunch of baloney and caviar: baloney for the consumer and caviar for Wall Street, chief executive officers and investors.

- Eleana Almeyda

Alhambra

There no longer are such things as long-term security or employee protection, even in civil service.

How does an employee approach this dilemma? I would say research other companies and fields where your skills could be transferred. If you have a special skill that give you an edge over the competition, refine it.

- Gary F. Traxler

Oxnard

What this country is all about is having middle-income families, not rich and poor. I do not want this great country of ours to become a Third World country.

Right now I feel that the wealthy are benefiting very well and no other class will. I feel sooner or later what always goes around, comes around.

My question to the rich: How do they expect to sell you products when there is no money around to spend?

If you have reliable employees, why cut off the hands that feed you?

How to deal with these changes and protect your own interests: Try to find a better job and get the most education you can. Try to cut back spending in the areas where it is not so important.

Most average people I know today do not have areas where they can cut back. We live from paycheck to paycheck, and that is with both husband and wife working.

- Larry Bradbury

Reseda

It all started with upsizing

Downsizing is the result of past upsizing. I was the victim of downsizing 20 years ago. Looking back on it now, it was justified. Many corporations, during the 1980s, loaded their corporations with additional unnecessary middle management.

Presidents added extra vice presidents. Secretaries added additional help to ease their so-called burdensome office duties. Marketing executives added surplus sales managers to supervise areas they could have easily handled themselves.

This policy was like dominoes. Personnel was added to make many jobs easier for those doing the hiring. Many retail and wholesale corporations opened up branches in too many areas. In my case, my company had, at one time, 28 branch offices and warehouses. Each had a sales manager with an average of 20 employees to each branch. In the middle '70s they scaled that down to eight stocking warehouses and residential salesmen in the areas where there were sales offices.

So, it's difficult to criticize the present downsizing if it is done to minimize costs and improve profits. That's the game of our capitalist society.

It is tough on those losing jobs and I believe those corporations guilty of these moves should continue to support medical expenses of the jobless until new jobs are acquired and, in addition, assist in retraining or finding new employment.

- Earl D. Horwitz

North Hills