The real reason manufacturing jobs are disappearing | Augie Picado

We've heard a lot of rhetoric lately suggesting that countries like the US are losing valuable manufacturing jobs to lower-cost markets like China, Mexico and Vietnam -- and that protectionism is the best way forward. But those jobs haven't disappeared for the reasons you may think, says border and logistics specialist Augie Picado. He gives us a reality check about what global trade really looks like and how shared production and open borders help us make higher quality products at lower costs.
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[@jeffdetmer9967]

I love it when the 1% defends to the status quo. The incease in automation (which is nothing new btw) is the very reason the US needs to protect our manufacturing jobs.

[@letsplaybaby8098]

Exactly

[@franknwogu4911]

tariffs won't stop automation

[@jeffdetmer9967]

@@franknwogu4911 I am not saying it will stop automation. I am suggesting that we protect the job we have. BTW you cannot tax the productivity of robots that are in other counties.

[@franknwogu4911]

@@jeffdetmer9967 How are you protecting our workers by starting a trade war?

[@peterpeterpeterpeterpeterp1431]

@@jeffdetmer9967 Than that is irrelevant to a TEDTalk that is arguing against protectionist policies.

[@Shadowfanification]

The problem with the TTP wasn't that the goods get reimported its that it puts corporations on an equal footing with the state in discussions about regulations.

[@homewall744]

The trade agreements work great for capital and trade of products, but they do not include the free movement of citizens between the counties in the trade agreement, thus making it better for corporations and capital than for workers/people. That's a bad deal to suggest capital can move freely, but humans cannot.

[@Imperium83]

Home Wall missed the point entirely... you're not only advocating for the atrocious TPP but adding in something to make it even worse somehow. Great job.

[@Bucks7542]

No tpp actually was going to be great because it would’ve forced China’s hand and it would’ve built great relationships with Asians neighbor. Now we just redid nafta and jobs are shipping to Mexico. Good ole corporate greed

[@mauriciogerhardt3209]

To sum up: technology makes manufacturing jobs disappear.

[@imadnemeir9455]

The only comment that gets it!

[@phillyflyguy3590]

ding ding! and there's nothing anyone can do about it except for the people who lost their jobs... Lots of jobs in public relations, learn to turn that frown upside down!

[@BentheGook]

I think the argument Picado made here is that protection is the major one killing manufacturing jobs. Protectionism is raising taxes not only on foreign commercial goods but also foreign industrial parts (which may be cheaper and better due to technology) that domestic companies need in order to build their products. If the parts become expensive, then the companies' products become expensive, and the companies will lose their consumers. Basically, protectionism is cutting cheaper and better supplies for domestic companies, thus damaging them and forcing them to fire their employees.

[@tomboyle4312]

It does, and it also drives specialisation into other areas such as design, development, operation, manufacture (of these systems), customer services. In the immediate present it seems like we are harming our selves with automation, but in the future this will not be how we view this.

[@Kabodanki]

Imagine the billions of chinese, Indians that rely on their cheap and unskilled labours, Automation will be a Huge bomb for them, please look at this www.zmescience.com/other/economics/china-factory-robots-03022017/ Chinese factory replaces 90% of human workers with robots. Production rises by 250%, defects drop by 80%.

[@Justmyopinionlol]

So this guy is telling me that Italians are big liars? Everything made in Italy is made by hand by skilled manual artisans.

[@tomconverse7862]

Exactly the point! This guy is a corporate hack. Who says we HAVE to go to full automation and completely abandon the human aspect. One word: G-R-E-E-D! We clearly have the right and the choice to make things using and investing in human capital and pay them a decent wage and produce a superior product! As the old saying goes, "if you build it, they will come". And most importantly of all: MADE IN THE USA! 🇺🇸

[@resistorstudios]

He is so wrong on so many levels. Where I work we source our stock from US steel manufacturers. We dont get our steel from overseas or Mexico. There is a reason why we just dont buy from China either. We have been eviscerated by things like NAFTA and corporate greed

[@rachaelbrennan11]

This TED talk is ridiculous on a number of levels. Automation is reducing the number of manufacturing jobs available, but this in no way means that nobody is losing a job to someone overseas who can do it cheaper - I actually worked for a large company that shut down American manufacturing plants to take that production to Mexico, so I have seen this firsthand. This is especially true if you look beyond the manufacturing world and include call center representatives, IT, medical billing, etc. The other huge issue with this particular talk is that he seems to be hyper-focused on the loss of jobs as the only reason why anyone would ever dislike a free trade agreement, which is ludicrous. Free trade agreements not only move jobs around, but they supersede the laws put in place to protect people and the environment all over the globe, leaving people with no way to protect themselves when a fracking organization decides to dump their waste water where it will poison your drinking water or when that manufacturing plant wants your personal property for their production site, using eminent domain to take what is rightfully yours. This patronizing, “Oh, if only you really understood the issue, then you would agree with me!” nonsense is insulting, especially given that so many facets of the issue were ignored by the speaker.

[@cliveashleyhamilton]

The problem is protecting democracy and the environment might be worth the increased cost rather than offshoring it to hostile regimes

[@Kaikaku]

Maybe you could add: Increasing prices of the goods produced in your country (by protectionism) makes them less competitive on the world market. This decreases demand for those products, decreasing economies of scale, leading to even higer prices...

[@PooManchoo2]

They took protection away from the auto industry here in Australia some years ago. GMH, produced several models then and now just one. In a month or so, that last locally produced car (the 2nd biggest selling car in the country!) will roll off the production line and with that, local parts manufacturers, another foreign brand producing locally will cease, plus a few towns that will end up just like Detroit. Great talk, but I strongly disagree. My old job producing tires, -tires that are still hand made, is gone. The entire factory scrapped most of the tooling off shore, 1000s of jobs disappeared when our 3 local plants closed, and now we 100% import. Another local clothing brand shipped their tooling to China for the Chinese to operate. There are 1000s of examples of this 90% lost to automation? I'm not sure I buy that number.

[@webkilla]

As a mechanical engineering student, I can confirm that industrial automation and robotization isn't going to go away. Foundries, warehouses, machine-shops - its all being automated with robotics and CNC machines. Where in the past a foundry might have a carpenter on staff to produce negatives for making casting moulds, now you just hook up a 3D printer and let it run 24/7 - cranking out the same products. Modern warehouses use what look like giant roombahs with forklifts on them, that are networked, so they all work together like a big anthill shuffling things around. Machine-shops are now just glorified warehouses with a dozen or so CNC machines over in the corner, perhaps with three or four workers feeding raw materials into hoppers and removing finished work-pieces... and even that part of the operation can be automated if you want to pay for it.

[@aryanmishra5591]

Which year brother.

[@sampopovic6344]

cnc machines they still need a progammer

[@sampopovic6344]

if people dont work you dont buy if you don't buy you don't sell.

[@webkilla]

@@sampopovic6344 not only that, you also need someone to set up the CNC machine - you can just point a webcam at a cnc machine and have a computer "figure it out"

[@resistorstudios]

CNC machines , Robots, still require operators and setup men/programmers and maintenance personnel. If anything automation should be making more jobs. The problem is with these companies taking advantage of cheap labor to help their bottom line.

[@GNeuman]

Oh and tell this to the Swiss, who are the ultimate protectionists....

[@scottgreer6380]

I think the rest of the world could learn from the Swiss.

[@jh299110]

Lol the swiss are benefitting from the trade deal in Europe that massively benefits them.

[@SmartChannel01]

Switzerland is part of schgen economic area meaning free trade

[@billhawver1807]

I have worked in manufacturing over 30 years in autos, aerospace, consumer goods and medical devices. American jobs are not lost to robotics. Within the US, efficiencies are gained through Lean Manufacturing. This is a new paradigm not an investment in automation. I managed a plant that reduced labor cost by 20%. The problem is labor only contributes to 10-15% of the manufacturers cost structure. If a product is produced in China, the steel is produced in China using ultra cheap labor, transportation and infrastructure. Materials comprise 50% of the manufacturers cost. The cost advantage China has is not just the labor at final assembly but the reduced labor in every step going back to mining. They also have very loose environmental regulations and government subsidized infrastructure. The net of this is a cost structure that America can not compete with. My issue is that the profits from overseas manufacturing is not repatriated because of tax laws. This forces companies to continue invest in there overseas operations. With appropriate tariffs and changes to our tax laws, manufacturers would come back as would their suppliers. Vertical integration, modern manufacturing philosophies and appropriate legislation will give us a stronger economy without inflation consumer costs.

[@knelle1114]

Those jobs are terrible anyways. I work for a company that makes plastic packaging. The shifts are 12.5 hours, the morale is low, and nobody is happy to be there.

[@MikeServis]

The problem is micro thinking. Instead of recognizing we're all rowing the same boat - we'll all sink of swim together. We all think of our selfish little ego in the present moment with no consideration of the larger picture on the horizon.

[@a_lonetraveller3015]

Mike Servis True !

[@mr.richard3109]

very well said.

[@bbcat-3972]

Functionally this is a true statement, but there are too many killers and power hungry people sitting in this boat, from every country in the world. The state of the world right now just isn't really one that can afford to focus on the bigger picture, not yet.

[@ajtrvll]

@Mike Servis, 3 problems with your statement: A) What is this "larger picture on the horizon" you speak of? B) Are the 1% truly in the "same boat" as everybody else? C) Selfishness is a biological imperative. Trying to eliminate it or pretending it is not part of Humanity is far more detrimental than the sum of all individual selfish acts.

[@MikeServis]

If you subscribe to the holographic paradigm - which I do, and how John Lennon so elegantly put to song. “and I'm not the only one” All of life, both physical and non-physical are part of the same hologram. From the macro viewpoint, this selfish instinct is of no concern. All things are acceptable from a macro view, but . . . from the micro viewpoint where you and I pretend to live, this selfishness is viewed as cancer out to destroy the organism. Many believe that the planet is a self-healing life form and will eliminate the “cancer” one natural disaster at a time. I've blabbed enough of my truth for now. I'll leave with another "truth". “Nothing real can be threatened - nothing UN-real exists. Herein lies the peace of God".

[@aranyakm]

It all depends on the objective of the government. Is it focused on the well-being of the greater number of people, or on the profits earned by the business owners? Manufacturing, trading or shifting the job-producing factories to other countries are ultimately only tools to fulfil certain objectives.

[@alan2here]

Totally agree. Except the TPP part, the TPP is pretty broken for reasons other than to do with trade.

[@lateblossom]

I agree with some here which have said the title is incorrect. I believe it is. I didn't find this talk so much about why manufacturing jobs are disappearing, but moreso a general discussion about trade and how it works in general. It was a brilliant talk, but mislabeled I would say, or at least, according to my understanding.

[@brendarua01]

I have some problems with this presentation. First, the title is click bait. The presentation is about protectionism, not the real reason jobs are disappearing, which he says is automation. Second, his examples of the cost increase due to an increase in duties seems specious. The 30% should only apply to the products/components affected, not the retail price of the car, TV or skin product as a whole. Third, the whole argument seems short sighted since these manufacturers are undermining their own markets by laying off the workers who they need to be buying their goods. On the whole, this is not up to the standards I expect from TED.

[@caitlynjones2147]

Brenda Rua +

[@nickelpickler6532]

Agree with you, but on point two he is asserting that the costs occurred in tariffs would be passed onto the consumer. That is absolutely accurate, the producer, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer all have an expected gross margin, and they intend to get it. What is more likely to happen is that supply chains will shift to account for this, so that trade with Mexico for certain products, half fabs, and components might stop while an upstream supplier that provides a similar quality product is found and the logistics will still allow the company to source the needed part for cheaper than it would to continue buying the same product from a upstream supplier facing tariff issues, most likely in Asia.

[@brendarua01]

Nickel Pickler I think you're right about all this. The thrust of my second point was very narrow, only noting the faulty application of the math. For example, if a component hit with the extra duty cost $1.00 then the new cost passed on would be 0.30 more than the old retail price to the consumer. I'm not sure why the presenter would choose to add the percent to the full retail price. But this does not change the dynamics that you bring up. Thank you.

[@Kas-yw5fe]

The problem is he never addresses how will these lost jobs be handled at this rate and what it means to stagnant wages/. People have a right to better wages not just cheaper goods. He states an obvious point and treats people us as if we're stupid not realizing this is why the people were desperate to vote Trump.

[@phillyflyguy3590]

Let me just start by saying that I would have no problem agreeing with everything you said if i felt what you said was my truth as well. But I find some issues with you criticism. First, I don't think the title is clickbait, I think it's in layman's terms. Second, logistics and resources are every companies #1 issue, there simply isn't enough resources to sustain wasteful production, thus automation cuts down on cost, time and resource waste. Third, In today's climate people are blaming our politicians and other countries for stealing our jobs, the reality is time and science took those jobs... it was going to happen, don't blame a political party for not saving your outdated abilities. Lastly, It benefits companies very much to cut out the human in their production and supply chain, plenty of other businesses that pay real money for real work... In fact a lot of the jobs are now in hospitality or some sort of consumer relations role where computers can't nuance someone into buying something they really didn't want in the first place. To say that Walmart cares enough about their bottom line to pay employees enough to shop at the store they work at is basically slavery. The "Employee Discounts" people get from their work are still 2-3x marked up as opposed to the 5-6x retail customers pay. I think this presentation lived up to the explanation, yes we are losing most of the jobs that created America, but instead of being apart of the problem and demanding a "deal maker" in office, accept your significance.

[@briantobias9212]

Money --> Power --> Control

[@williamfrancis5367]

Expect when... Power-> Control-> Money.

[@Kabodanki]

Money > Control > Power Private institution (Exxon, Monsanto, Feds,....) have the Executive balls in their hands

[@nofanfelani6924]

Knowledge is power

[@williamfrancis5367]

Samuel Doe had the power of a few NCO's he used these disgruntled soldiers to overthrow William Tolbert and become President of Liberia. Controlling the office gave him the money to keep him in power for over a decade.

[@hfyaer]

Pretty much the other way around. But it's a messy theory in the first place.

[@CHAS1422]

Let's end protectionism on professional jobs like yours. I am certain to find off shore manufacturing sourcing that will undercut your salary too. I would like to see more offshore banking and stock broking. Globalism will be globalism. Its time to expand the effort, not just to manufacturing, but to jobs like yours.

[@P1ranh4]

It's already going that way. Banks outsource their credit risk analysis to India for instance. The only thing they worry about at this point is anonymizing the data so they can give access to foreign employees.

[@williamfrancis5367]

What protectionism is going on with professional jobs? If it were more profitable for Goldman Sachs to outsource investment banking positions to China or India they would have done it already. Unless you think Goldman Sachs, isn't particularly interested in profit. Not to mention did you not watch the video? Automation is going to take professional jobs anyway in the next few decades anyway so don't worry about outsourcing.

[@CHAS1422]

william francis: Frankly I can tell you the Chinese don't want to be a banking nation. They realize that the rel power is in controlling manufacturing. The will do anything for control of each and every industry. They view banking, sports, entertainment, tourist industries as inferior. They are happy to close factories in the west because it corrupts the culture, and forces the producers to lay fallow. Factories are not just assembly lines. Factories are cultures of tool and die designers, machinists, engineers, drafters, material scientists, metallurgists, industrial artists, etc...Once you close a factory, you lose that culture in that region. Financial brokers like Bain Capital will purchase manufacturers in Ohio and sell them to Chinese interests.

[@williamfrancis5367]

Doesn't it? Four of the world largest banks are based in China ( at by total assets) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_banks. What is more CCP, is more interested in controlling its own citizens and keeping them compliant, through employment rather than destroying industry in the west. If they did intend to do that, why is German a major centre for high quality manufacturing? The problem of deindustrialisation in the west is much like rising wealth inequality. In effects every nation but some way more than others (e.g the USA and to a lesser extent the UK), and these effect are more down to the decision of these nation's governments in the past few decades, than the plots of foreigners.

[@Alitari]

There is a downside to specialization; tunnel vision. Architects who don't know how to install a toilet don't know that their proposed toilet location will not allow for the installation of a toilet. I'm not saying that everyone has to be an expert on everything, but instead that we often have too many people who have too focused a skillset such that they are like the man who has a hammer, all the problems they see are nails (or surgeons, whose first suggestion is to open the person up to have a look around).

[@lostreality6916]

I was in Seattle the other day and there were no teller's just self checkout line about a dozen or more self checkout lines.. pretty scary.. what's next I spent my career building adomated equipment for safety reasons so I was told..🤔

[@bluworatschek9145]

Spoken like a true globalized capitalist! Many Domestic economies suffer as a result of globalization... the domestic labor force also suffers.

[@fatnfit36]

He is a very good speaker and he did a very fine job of communicating his position. However, how much credibility does he have when his company (UPS) benefits greatly from air plane panels that ship from France, and components that ship from the US, and tail assemblies that ship to Canada. Of course he would support a network of global manufacturers that move product great distances, generate revenue for his company, and put money in his pocket.

[@GNeuman]

How amazingly efficient manufacturing is..at least all the CEO's are getting super rich

[@varunrajesh6516]

GNeuman Products are the least expensive for consumers. That's a win.

[@xja85mac]

It's sad that politicians and media alike ignore this topic.

[@davidstroup1458]

So if we lose all of our quality middle class positions to overseas competition, how are we expected to pay for any of the goods returning to the United States. Since the higher paying positions in engineering and manufacturing are disappearing and being replaced by lower paying service and leisure positions how are we expected to purchase anything being produced, even if it is manufactured partially in indigenous countries. In my opinion I see a global economic collapse in the near future and we will be a part of it.

[@wheelsmcdealsace]

there real reason is big companies dont want to pay to have all of the by-products safely put in a good place. But they can ship the jobs overseas and those companies put the by-products back into the items you buy. from dog food to baby toys. all turning up with high levels of random crap that kills or hurt you.......

[@TheVege89]

I thought this was a video about "why manufacturing jobs are disappearing" instead it's a video about "why protectionism is not convenient for the consumers"

[@BRADSPIG]

I think there's some missing analysis in the impact. If tariffs are applied--while the cost of consumer goods will go up--where, exactly is all that 80 billion in tax revenue going? To get a fair understanding of the real impact of such tariffs, the analysis would have to include that factor and the net impact it would have. What is clear in such a scenario, though is that corporate profits would be impacted. Is that the hidden message?

[@cliveashleyhamilton]

Shared production and services is only viable between countries of shared values, it's not about protecting jobs it's about protecting ways of life

[@domingo2977]

So what can we do about it because if we do anything firms & gov will just bypass it with a law or doing a shady deal in the shadows? Great topic but how do we protect the consumers and employees to fight against such a thing?

[@englishcoach7772]

Amazing!

[@jrandall1017]

4:40 I'd rather strive to be that center white dot.. but what do i know.. I'm not the supply chain professional.

[@shadowofpain8144]

The biggest part no one talks about is making the manufacturer job worth it to the worker, you have taken away his pension 401kill you when the market falls is no replacement. They think minimum wage is the max. I can do that well selling crap on line. In fact I have once and awhile been dumbfounded by what can make. Payroll .0000000001 of profit is never going to get you a non turnover loyal quality worker. A lady in my small town sold a few shirts on line working from home go so out of hand she opened a store on main Street. I am sure she is doing better tha any company within 20 miles will pay.

[@atvfanantichehe]

Notorious leader? You mean rocket boy!

[@Jasvinder518]

Little Rocket Man FTFY

[@AtheistCitizen]

or his evil twin the carrot-top

[@atvfanantichehe]

Sebastian Elytron wow great original content. Damn and the balls you must have for ripping on the president. I hope I can be cool as you someday.

[@Wyomingfarmer]

Last time you were in a store what percentage of products did you see made in the USA? 20% maybe?

[@wolfy1987]

@@rd24life The US made the semiconductors in my TV and nothing else. Could say the same for nearly every other electronic I own. None of my clothing is made of US materials or manufactured here apart from printing in rare cases. I'm trying to think of anything new in my house that has American components. I have a pair of gloves that uses US leather, the only pair I've seen that used any US component. Compare that to 70 years ago. Most of that was made here.

[@SuperDravin]

I believe protectionism outcome of trade deficit. Unfortunately only powerful countries can implement it. Countries like USA and China.

[@TaylorMade511]

A robot replaced me. And I'm not in manufacturing. :

[@victorvaldez6785]

Well, he did a pretty good job of convincing me.

[@freewaylee]

This globalism message is a half truth. We as consumers, consume too much. The example used here is related to more complexes manufacturing (ie laptop computers). Clothing, home furnishings, power tools...most consumer goods, China owns the supply chain. All these trade agreements hurt US workers. As we automate, jobs to maintain the infrastructure are awarded to the manfacture. As we automate, how wonderful if all the comownwnts were made in US. We buy are own stuff....yes, more expensive. Cheap = destruction of middle class.

[@silo3com]

Nice presentation

[@vizeet]

Protectionism has a cost that is passed to not just people but also manufacturers and so manufacturers have another reason to reduce cost to remain viable this results in further lowering of jobs. Point he has not covered is in-sourcing is good for jobs because when more people get to your country then more people in your country are needed to serve them. Population expansion helps country create global demand for services in which locals are required.

[@wolfy1987]

Problem with that is diversity breeds mistrust, loneliness, and self isolation. That and large scale immigration serves to keep wages and working conditions low.

[@Womberang]

Literally wrote a research paper about exactly this last year, it's really interesting to see people finally talking about it

[@cmetube]

Ofir Bitton it's really interesting how this is wrong and out of touch. Real manufacturing is coming back and going strong in the USA. Too bad these people don't know where and are flat out lying.

[@Womberang]

I think you're a little out of touch... do your research, if you think we have the same amount of manufacturing jobs before and after advancements in automation, you're sorely mistaken. No one is lying, what reason do they have to? The purpose of the video is educational, not political.

[@cmetube]

Ofir Bitton it's pretty political to me. Perhaps you also are out of touch and don't live in the heart of american manufacturing. I'm not going to play your bs mind games and academic bs. Keep reading and getting info 3rd hand. It makes you really well informed that's for sure. 😂

[@Womberang]

Apparently reading is a bad thing. Go to college and get an education, then apply real world experience, then maybe talk.

[@wde0912]

cmetube you're so dumb lol

[@MarcusFirst]

The global trade is working only on one condition- fairness

[@adamzonnis980]

If share production makes higher quality goods, why is everything a piece of crap that breaks down so quickly?

[@cruciferousvegetable]

He just stated that one in ten lost jobs went overseas and 9 out of ten were due to increased productivity. Where did he pull that number from? I have a pretty good guess. Also any temporary increase in cost would be brought down as new markets open up to fill demand. I'm not saying I know which way is better. We need hard numbers and sources. This is an analytical problem, not one in which we accept the word of a biased and self interested player.

[@whatthefunction9140]

Hmmmm the UPS guy is pro trade (shipping). Well at least UPS pays well. Oh they dont...

[@iloveg25]

Many things out of the picture of price variation, and industry location... Protectionism is basicly a non deciseive factor in the equation, so a bit pointless to me...

[@Apostate_ofmind]

Protectionism always came in close time relation to war and economic depression. Think about that.

[@green2stayecoswdmarketingn339]

The problem is not automation or offshore labour but rather the concept of economics cyphoning 'environmental and conservational' constraints rather than harmoniously attempting to methodically sustain these limited resources,anything apart from prioritising this concept is complete "BS" and an "endgame...if this was a priority there would be more than enough jobs and many other problems would be lessened!...

[@sonkhung14]

Factories are using robot and automation technology. Where are these factories now ? they are still placed at developing countries . Why ???

[@wolfy1987]

I have a hard time believing that 87% of our job losses are due to automation. For one we only have about 60% of the industry we used to. So what happened to that 40%? Steel, small appliances, garments, electronics, are all nearly gone. All labor intensive fields.

[@peterpeterpeterpeterpeterp1431]

Um... they were lost to automation. That is the point.

[@lagerabzd]

so who gets the duties that will be collected?

[@hewasfuzzywuzzy3583]

Manufacturing jobs are not disappearing. They're being broken up into smaller more manageable parts. Also, the other reason is automation. Due to continuing advancements in automation technology, manufacturing (product materials and production) costs are likely to increase. The second is supply and demand; its just that simple. Thirdly, taxes. Not all taxes are created equal, and nearly everything is taxable. The fourth is losses. Multiple cost increases, out sourced manufacturing, and of course cheaper employment wages to make up the difference and to maintain a low overhead; not to mention advertising doesn't come cheap. That doesn't explain it all, but its clear enough for a KZbin comment that's not real journalism.

[@michaellefave3939]

Free Trade is just like building a house, not at all protectionism? All the tradesmen on the job are surposed to be licensed(except for the illegals). When you move up to the state level all construction is done by the unions. Hire someone else willing to work at a lower rate and they show up with an inflatable rat and block off the driveway so you cant get the jobe done. In order to get s plumbing license you have to complete trade school, and work for a licensed plumber for years(if work is slow they don't hire and no new plumbers) and take several tests to get your own license. Plumbing is pretty easy and a lot of people could probably do it but it has the strongest level of protectionism of any trade in the state of Massachusetts.

[@Zerobob26]

If most manufacturing jobs are "gone for good" due to automation and improvements in our productivity, then in the same vein you can't expect people to be able to afford to live and consume products when their manufacturing job no longer exists... Unless of course all means of production are automated and people are simply given resources to live on, but there's no profit for greedy corporations in doing that. This is the most narrow-minded TED talk I've watched in a while.

[@brandonfraterphoenixbowers]

NOTE: before NAFTA, the USA had a surplus of over$45 billion. Today, we are shy of $20 trillion in debt. This is the results of plutocracy, not a Constitutional Republic we used to be.

[@indrajeetjadhav5439]

you are awasome

[@samflanagan77]

If improved technology is the real cause of job loss how can it be that other countries have better technology?

[@natemullikin6248]

The free trade capitalist in America: "You can only by from socially accepted sellers!"

[@alirezateymouri7559]

Well Iran does not produce any part of that Boeing or Airbus passenger jet that she imports, thus a huge win-lose.

[@BlueyMcPhluey]

two critiques: 1) I'm sure OVERALL the economy may improve with increased trade, but what good is that when the wealth is concentrated at the top? If people want more open borders they need to implement more distributive systems first 2) the prices of goods wouldn't jump up *that far* because there would be an incentive for local entrepreneurs to fill to gap

[@jamiemackie3994]

Ok. Pay us a displacement dividend. You outsource everything except end customers. If we cant work for the same pay then industry better pony up.

[@jacobk7149]

The only reason machines are replacing employees is because it's so hard hiring employees legally.

[@user-vh8gs1sw1j]

It's not. Pay people and not treat them like crap. It's a foreign concept in the US.

[@stayswervin554]

Imma take a guess b4 the vid starts Is it because minimum wage, labor laws, Infrastructure and lack of labor force

[@memoryhero]

What's with the hoity-toity pronunciation of Mexico but the garden variety pronunciation of France?

[@6530517]

Chevy and Pontiac used to say made in U.S.A now it's says made in Mexico.

[@jater10]

Technology will make manufacturing jobs disappear, but the new developments will also open up new opportunities. There is no progress without change. That said, I'm not for protectionism but nations need to consider their own needs when dealing in trade agreements first. Also, less regulations and special interest lobbying would help.

[@vgx2008]

Econ 101 lecture in TED?

[@galibalyasiry3434]

Nice

[@GooogleGoglee]

Good speech. So... Let's move in Mexico to find a new job... Since here they decentralized the labor work over there.

[@lmbeck84]

Isn't it a bit fitting that the President of UPS Mexico (Augie Picado) is all about shipping pieces of things all over the world in order to make the final product rather than manufacturing everything within the same country?

[@ajtrvll]

A logistics specialist that talks about the virtues of global trade and the perils of protectionism is like a banker that talks about the virtues of leverage and the perils of regulations.

[@kcufhctib204]

You say that as if that makes his points meaningless.

[@mr.richard3109]

Resisting automation is wasting energy already put into developing that automation.

[@geraltzhu9085]

He spent too much time preaching the beneficiary of international trade...

[@Electronic424]

The song Modern World by Wolf Parade covers this perfectly, machines replace you, and the machines replace your band too. The good news is, technology naturally outsources labor, so the future will consist of less work and more creativity/problem solving for the average person.

[@andrewevans5133]

That Angelina Jolie joke was rough

[@IanAtkinson555]

He's correct, but it all falls down when nobody but a few super rich can afford to buy anything. He needs to remember that consumers are also a vital resource, and they need money in their pocket.

[@kimbal1958]

Total garbage as far as share manufacturing making goods cheaper and higher quality. Stuff coming out of China is not only Illegal in some cases - but substandard to anything made in Australia. The whole New World Order is a joke. I can by a transistor radio for $10 but the Chinese push the house prices up in our country and me out of the housing market because I can't find work. So my land-lord is now Chinese, and he can barely speak English. as for lack of skills in the country I have 40 years experience as a Technician in Electronics and cant even find a paper round. WHY because I'm not Indian or Chinese, nor have a string of letters after my Uni qualifications. I have real world experience in my field, but due to laws and licensing restrictions, I can't work for myself in my own trade of expertise. Then they hire some bozo from India on a 417 visa who has a science or PHD degree in Electronics ( probably bought on line ) but can't use a bloody screw driver or a multimeter. The real cost is in - failing mental and physical health and suicide, due to homelessness and unemployment, lack of social support and insidious racism. No one making these world decisions believes in God and so they take no responsibility for their actions and believe they are not held accountable. Blame Science and Atheism for that mentality. Money and Technology has become the new God ! Your now accountble to the financial system and valued on your Jewish based FICO Credit scores. The countries inhabitants ( ie Australians ) are pushed into the gutter, while outsiders take our jobs and kill off the environment with there cultural mindset like a virus inhabiting an organism. 75% of this technology boom - we don't need and many don't want this New World Order - but it's pushed upon them without asking. Now we are being told Artificial Intelligence and Robots will be taking over and we will all be out of work - but all happier for it. Then this new beaut Block Chain bullshit will be introduced to stop us buying and selling unless we have a computer in our hand to do the transaction assuming no scammer hacks our Id and screws up our digital online life. In the end it will only destroy the planet - as it's currently doing now. Look at the animal, bird and fish die-offs happening all around the world. Droughts and floods in one place after another. Wars fought over Oil and resources. Capitalistic driven Businesses who care only about share holders and their profits, but not you as a person. The system is FUCKED and only driven by money !

[@patmacrotch5611]

Why doesn't he talk about what happens when all the jobs are automated...who can buy anything then?

[@andrewcliffe4753]

Robots in, employees out, money to multinationals, donations to political parties, money to the rich, poverty to all others

[@nathan3595]

With most countries free trade is goo but then you get countries like China who devalue their currency to always make it cheaper to produce there.

[@kamalpreetsingh1686]

Human needs more technology, machines ,only through machine man can be liberated from repetitive , boaring , routine work......

[@bunktastic3885]

This has a smell of corporate shill. I live in Michigan where they closed factories down and moved production to Mexico where they could make refrigerators cheaper. People here didn't lose their jobs to automation cause the factories are gone and empty lots are what's left.

[@williamfrancis5367]

One case study doesn't disprove general trends.

[@bunktastic3885]

william francis do you here the bullshit in that statement just because you can prove it once doesn't mean Its true what a nice way to say nah-uh

[@wde0912]

Low prices vs high prices and jobs

[@gunsofaugust1971]

The interesting thing about a lot of talks on economics is that all of the presenters start with the assumption that growth, efficiency, free markets are inherently good. I wonder if this will change as the impending ecological catastrophe unfolds. Future generations might have a completely different mindset. One based on sustainability and common causes.

[@williamfrancis5367]

gunsofaugust1971. Since the collapse of USSR free markets being good is considered a fact in economics profession. Of course this most economists aren't against regulating markets, they just don't think firms should be told what they should produce and at what price by the government.

[@gunsofaugust1971]

Thanks, I understand that free markets are considered good, and I do not undervalue the immense increase in wealth and standard of living that the neoliberal model has created. What interests me is the failure of mainstream economists to question the really big picture in regards to true costs and sustainability. I guess the broad term "Progress Trap" is what I am getting at. I just don't see much evidence that this is considered by adherents to the current economic orthodoxy.

[@sebastianelytron8450]

Don't waste your time on this video guys!

[@drschultz]

i don't get the angelina jolie reference. why her

[@bernardfredette7154]

Boeing !| Are you listening ?

[@sloppyjonuts9162]

History repeats itself

[@blanchy]

"American jobs arent outsourced" ... "We build the planes in Mexico" "I watched laptops be built".. Wonder what country that was in, starts with a C.

[@SyntheticFuture]

It is not a humans purpose to work... we need to learn that. Optimize everything and create an 'economy' that does not require fulltime jobs.

[@bluworatschek9145]

Work is purpose. Humans need purpose... it’s the kind of work that is important ....

[@SyntheticFuture]

As soon as something becomes a fun activity you like to do it pretty much is a hobby and not work ;)

[@vorlonagent]

Picado's error is he doesn't care which country various links in the supply chain occur. That's not his job. So he forgets that if aircraft were entirely built and assembled in the US that's a bunch of jobs returning from Mexico and Canada. Some would disappear to robotics, yes. How many in absolute number? Picado doesn't give us any. What percentage of the manufacturing job pool is going away? Picado doesn't tell us that either. Quoting a stat that says 87% of manufacturing jobs that are eliminated are lost to robotics does not tell us how many jobs are disappearing from the manufacturing sector or how many remain that could be recovered.

[@First_Principals]

3d printing will take over all manufacturing jobs.

[@vinercent215]

tom keane I very much doubt that. It will in the best scenario replace casting, but that's that. 3D printing can not achieve the precision and surface quality needed for efficient mechanisms and will never beat bending sheet metal. And that is only talking about metal manufacturing.

[@Its_Mannix]

No, it won't. It's expensive, inefficient and takes way too much time.

[@wendellallen553]

32Games computers were slow way to inefficent and took too much time 20 years ago just sayin i wouldnt be naive but i wouldnt bet against tech either

[@Kabodanki]

Wtf like technology never evolved

[@geraldoc4760]

Indeed, 3D printing will be the future. And it is, but still its under development.

[@wolfy1987]

All this moving parts around the world seems insane too. That uses a lot of energy, and is a great way to move invasive species from place to place. And I don't think who makes the best product is the primary driver. It seems to at least equally depend on cost. I can't tell you the amount of Chinese crap I've bought that was broken on arrival or broke soon after purchase. Other problems with this idea include: Counties deliberately keeping wages low to stay competitive, and the resulting anxiety from knowing a factory could downsize or close at any time if you demand better working conditions. A much smaller number of factories building the same product, thus much less competition(Most of your large appliances come from only 6 factories. For microwaves that number is even smaller). Fewer low-skilled entry-level jobs in wealthy countries. Exporting polluting industries to countries with far less enforcement of environmental regulation.

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

I’d trust this guy about as far as I could throw him.

[@commonsense3050]

They're being lost because there is a shortage of qualified workers. I work with Manufacturing all over Minnesota. They can't find enough people up here! Also there are a lot of people who don't want to work! They just want to earn enough money for the month! Automation comes in because businesses don't have time for this and can't fill the jobs! Ppl do not want to work physically anymore or they want to start at $40k a year just because they showed up! This guy has an agenda and bias. I wish I was 20 again! If you are a hard worker you'll do great. The economy just grew 3.1% this quarter. Get off welfare and get to work America. There are exceptions to every rule but this my friends I state here is truth.

[@lwinardi]

This guy does not know what he is talking about. We lost so many jobs because of bad trade policies. He is correct that automation make us more productive, but this increase in productivity still cannot keep up with the increase demand in our market. However, if we bring products from all over the world, we have more supply. Then, it’s all about price. We cannot compete with producers that are heavily subsidized by their government.

[@andrewthomas695]

While this presentation is all very logical and intellectual, it says nothing about the dislocation of enough people to result in Brexit, Trump and the rise of the far right in Europe. Ignore their plight and you may find your logical perfect little world in tatters.

[@theshark84724]

OK, but how come that stuff isn't assembled in the USA? It's not automated, right? Is it is automated In Mexico? I don't think so. And then it's moved to Canada, bypassing the USA completely to be finished in Canada, and then that product is sold to the USA. Why can't it be finished in the usa? Is all the Canadian finishing by machine huh? No people needed? The point is, we wanna try to get more manufacturing here. You still builders, contractors, IT people, repair people, all kinds of people. And that company pays taxes, which helps the USA. So even if you ONLY had machines and didn't need ANYONE ever, then it would still benefit the USA. Just like manufacturing in China had made their middle class huge. Protectionism is done in Canada. Consumers there pay an import tax of ALL Chinese-made products. That encourages more manufacturing in Canada. That guy sounds so political. I bet he loves NPR and brie.

[@celal777]

This guy is a corporate stooge trying to con you into believing that the ‘shared production’ arrangement is some kind efficient 'state of the arts' economics. What he doesn’t tell you is that the real reason why big corporations are going for these contorted, convoluted production schemes is for TAX AVOIDANCE. This allows them to shift their cost and profit bases around the world using creative accounting methods enabling them to avoid paying the taxes they would otherwise owe and pay. This is not money in the consumers pocket but money in the pockets of the corporate owners. Also, countries are defrauded of tax revenues which means less money for social services - less money for YOU - for your retirement, for your health care, for your education etc.