THE DAY INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER DIED IN MEMPHIS
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2008
- This video could also be titled
THE DAY FRAYSER DIED
Footage from TV station WMC Action News-5 about that fateful day in 1983 when International Harvester announced it was soon to be closing its huge plant in Memphis, Tennessee.
This closing put over 650 people out of work in financially crippled north Memphis -- the areas known as Westside and Frayser -- and they haven't fully recovered to this day.
This 1983 video features the WMC-TV5 "Action News Tonight" opening theme, a very young Joe Birch, Brenda Wood, Dave Brown, and Jack Eaton. People interviewed include then Memphis mayor Dick Hackett, former Congressmen Ed Jones and Harold Ford, Sr., and others. The last part of the clip has an interview with David Cox, who was a machinist employed by IH at the time.
TRIVIA: At the beginning off the video you get to see some quick TV5 promos (Mid South Fair "ten wonderful days" and the Donahue Show) and hear the old channel 5 "showboat whistle" that was played directly before every program.
My grandad worked for IH in Memphis in the 1950’s, and bought a huge fleet of tractors from them in the 60’s, and bought 200 acres in desoto county, and farmed til he died in 96’
I Grew up 25 miles north of Memphis my family farmed (66 ,86 &88 series I.H. ) & also done Construction work
1 of local rock pits is behind Harvester & we hauled crushed limestone out this rock pit even to this day i remember as a kid passing by there Harvester was a city of it's on .
Now it's basically dead w/ the exception of the container facility there & also the Memphis police impound
it's ashame The closing of the harvester plant killed The Frayser comminty
Thank you so much for putting this up. It brings back so many memories; I know a LOT of people who were affected by IH's closure.
@@je862 The city acquired the land. The Memphis PD uses part of it as an impound lot and an evidence warehouse.
Yes, a lot of families were affected, even the pensions of the retired employees was affected.
Cool video, my dad, uncle, and grandfather worked here. I remember riding in my grandpa's scout and I still have a couple of ih toy tractors he used to give me.
My father sold IH for 40 plus years, he lived and breathed Red. When IH went down I think that it was the beginning of the end for him also!
My dad's IH Plant on 31st Street in Chicago closed January 1971. He lost his job at the age of 52 and never had a decent paying one after that. The plant had been in operation since the turn of the century and employed thousands of people. For those of you who think this cannot happen to YOU over 50 (Or any age) regardless of time in, you are sure a dreamer!! I do not believe unions or politicians can do anything about it. It is clear to me it happens because Business controls Business, and it has always been this way and always will be. Business does not give a hoot about unions; politicians or environments as long as the profits are there. Giving tax money to business to operate is nothing short of stupid and should not be done period.
Early 80s was not good times economically, we were having tough times keeping the farm loans paid. I took a job working nights on a drilling rig in Oklahoma trying to keep thing afloat, but 1984 the oil boom turned bust as well. It was just a tough few years, but we survived and we are still farming
Very sad day in the history of this country
My Dad graduated Memphis State with an engineering degree in the late 1960’s and he was a draftsman at IH.
My dad worked there for 13 years and my grand dad was there over 30 and had just retired before this happened. The UAW didn't do anything to help my dad find work again. I remember this. It was a crazy time.
@georgeky1
Several of my relatives and neighbors in Northwestern Illinois sold their blood, sweat, and tears building not only IH/Case, but Deere and Caterpillar.
Caterpillar used to have 2 Engine and Parts plants in Bettendorf and Davenport. Last one closed in 1992.
CaseIH included the Axial-Flow Combine plant in East Moline, and the ever infamous HOUSE OF FARMALL in Rock Island. Both are gone, and the last standing vestage of it was finished off in 07 wrecking ball.
I remember seeing this on the Ch 5 news. I grew up around farming. It was sad!
Many blame the government, the unions, the high interest rates for IH going down. All have points and another point I want to bring up is when it came to designing their tractors, IH fell behind JD and Case. The 86 series tractors were a huge step up from the previous 66 series and were very dependable tractors but still lacked and easy to shift synchronized trans and the doors should not have been hinged in the front. Their last attempt was a "Hail Mary" when the spit out the 50 series. Though it did have the synchro trans, the cooling system was poorly designed and they were a poorly balanced tractor. When Case IH introduced the Magnum series tractors they were head and shoulders above anything out there. Incidentally, the Magnums were the design of IH and were going to be the next IH tractor and not Case IH. If they could have hung on another year they might have made it through.
Hi 66Limelight - read "International Harvester, a Corporate Tragedy" by Barbara Marsh (1985), it is the definite document on the demise of IHC. Yes, IHC did have some flops just like any other agriculture companies but in the end but it did - the final straw was a huge conflict between the UAW and the top management in the aftermath of the 1979-1980 strike at a critical time for farmers (buyers) which IHC never recovered from, this was followed by the 1980s recession which sealed the fate of the company. It was/is a very sad story and its repercussions followed what had already plagued the American automobile industry, that is the progressive closure of plants (throughout the agriculture sector) and the shift to overseas manufacturing (JD, Massey, Case, ...). The "Golden Age" of our American manufacturing is over, sadly enough. Ciao, L (Veteran)
IH closed the plant in Quad Cities also
David Cox at 3:53 says he was making $500 a week or $12.50 per hour in 1983, that equates to $1237,00 per week in todays dollars or $37.00 per hour, with benefits added no wonder the company went under with the minimum wage in 1983 being $3.35.
0:21 - The classic tv5 "showboat whistle."
Damn, God Bless America. Back then all the farm equipment lasted, and was built to last forever, because that was part of the 'competition' but now its true competition, companys can't get along most of the times.
I remember when the plant in Louisville KY closed back in the 80s. My father, grandfather, and two uncles had worked there. My grandfather retired from Harvester before the plant closed down. Lots of memories of going there to pick up my dad from work.
My dad worked at the Louisville plant. Ended up Springfield
Couldn't have said it better Andrew D. I know my employer treats me like meat also. And yes,I too must put up with it because iam a responsible father and husband. I won't let my family starve or suffer as mutch as I can help it. I hate this is the way the u.s.a. is now, can't stand it. It sucks!
I think International Harvester failed because they had too many irons in the fire - building agricultural equipment and trucks at the same time. Plus, most of the ag manufacturers basically put themselves out of business by building bigger equipment for a shrinking number of farms - bigger equipment meant fewer needed and farms were getting bigger while farmers were decreasing in number. God bless.
IH and allis kept innovating and retooling there plants when cracks started showing in the farm economy around 1979 1980 wile deere went into hibernation 30 40 50 and 55 series tractors are all very simple
@@smithgraincattlesgc4940 Deere spent a fuckton of money on its Waterloo tractor works in the 1970's. They had a lot of money put out when the farm economy took a shit in 82/83.
1983 was a bad year economically for Memphis. Firestone closed up shop around the same time. Uptown and Frayser both tanked around that time.
A lot of things happened in Frayser.
I am rather certain that this news footage was from September 1984, not 1983 as the uploader wrote on the intro screen and description. There is plenty of other evidence available that this announcement occured in Sept '84 and the plant closed in May '85.
@bduff007 Amen I couldnt agree more, my Father retired from IH just bately in time to get a patial pention.
Back when auto workers could make a great living. Those were the days
0:08 - Mid-South Fair (10 wonderfull days, from September 21 to September 30).
Why is it always the employees fault when a company goes under. What about corporate greed and NAFTA! funny how nobody remembers all the good unions did for workers.
I actually have (one of I’m assuming) a casting of the last iron from the Memphis plant
I am fairly certain the year 1983 shown in the opening of this video and in the description is incorrect. Based on news articles which can be found on internet, including this same announcement in the New York Times dated Sept 25, 1984 (two months before the Case/Tenneco merger announcement), this had to be from 1984. I have seen multiple documentations elsewhere that IH's Memphis plant closed in May 1985.
Also, the Mid South Fair ad shows dates of Sept 21-30. In 1983, those dates were a Wed through Friday. In 1984, those dates were a Friday through Sunday, which sound like much more likely days for a fair to begin and end.
If anyone reading this can explain otherwise, please do, but I feel confident this news footage was from 1984, not 1983.
Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa had the same problems at the same time. The John Deere tractor works in Waterloo went from employing around 15 thousand in 1980 to employing about 6 thousand today. Also at the same time Rath Packing was dying a slow death, from employing 5 thousand at one time to going bankrupt and closing the doors for good in 1985. Also at this time the Illinois Central railroad was cutting train crews and shop personel and the rail industry is nothing like it was before the 1980's This was in a much smaller metro area also as the two cities had a combined census of about 100 thousand in the early 80's. After 30 years Waterloo is starting to come back somewhat, but it still is a shadow of its former self. Too bad the US economy was sold out in the 1970's by Wall st. banksters and their buddies on capitol hill.
@@je862 My maternal grandfather worked there a few different times. In the 1930's for a bit, during WWII, and a little bit in the early 50's. Rath was a huge shadow in Waterloo until about 30 years ago.
Memphis is a beautiful place . I cry every time I think about it. I never wanted to leave. Missed more than anything else
Memphis used to be a nice place…..but now….best be carrying a weapon and maintain situational awareness all the time. If it were’nt for Beale street and Elvis home, no one would go there!
Odd to me the people blaming the unions. I worked at this plant, was part of the union, and my father was the president of the local. IH was enjoying record profits, record sales, and record sock performance. Macardell, the CEO and COO, took over bargaining personally, and drove negotiations into the ditch. Unprecedented new demands on transfer rights and overtime which sought to overturn agreements in place since 1950.He simply wanted to break the union. The union held. Wall street is a big villain, we see now with the benefit of hindsight. Now, the UAW is smaller, but helps produce good products around the world.
Bill Byrd record sales my ass! lol The farm crisis of the 1980's is what put the final dagger into this and every other Ag equipment company besides Deere.
why do we blame the labor union/unions and the working man/woman when a company has money problems.
Good question. I always read and heard it was the CEOs greed that killed the company.
Because they drain the company of profits that keep the doors open
Yes, I knew some of the service reps.
We can look towards the UAW for alot of the blame for IH's down fall!!! In the late 70's they had a strike against IH during a time when all companys were selling massive amounts of equipment, the strike wore on and IH dealers were running out of equipment to sell. When the strike was settled the early 80's hit and the farm economy went south and IH could never make up for all they had lost!
I with they still made IH tractors we still use 7 IH tractors on our family farms
We used to be all red and now all I have left are a 350 and 706 Farmall of the older tractors. I just can't let those red ones go!
@Hiei2k7 Caterpillar had a plant in San Leandro, California. closed in 1980.
Look at frayser today.
@imtorched It was as much the UAW as it was Archie McCardell seeking concessions from them while IH was profitable.
Don't forget the start of the "Big Power Era" when IH rolled out big 6 cylinder engines mated to what was essentially the same rear gear they'd had since before WWII.
Sad day
I think so
The harvester Inn is going strong.
Politics and bad timing conjoined to destroy a giant.
Harvester had just gone through major retooling of a state of the art plant designed to produce the most advanced tractors in the industry.
If not for the overhead they amassed in order to pay for the retooling by selling the machines built from it, the farm economy died too soon for them to keep their heads above water.
1983 I think.
That’s right, it’s from 1983.
I am fairly certain this was from 1984, not 1983 as this video's uploader wrote. I explained a bit in another comment I just made on this video. Do either of you have any evidence (besides this video's intro screen and description) that this is actually from 1983?
I loved Memphis when I was a kid, especially during the '70s and the 60s. Memphis is starting to make a comeback though that Ford blue plant up there will make a big difference
Around that year it was like fuck the US
@Hiei2k7
That and making a tractor called a 666, even though everyone told IH Jesus loving farmers would stop buying. But they did it anyways. Doesn't mean I don't love IH. It just means I am sad at stupid decisions wrecking a fantastic company.
I was farming in the 80s. I went out in 87.
Anybody but me remember how Reagan destroyed the farm economy in the 80s?
I remember it well.
Farming has never recovered and its all big money now.
Funny that congressman Ford is the guy that Corker defeated. I know I don't need to tell you what Corker did to the UAW at VW, although that story is far from over.
***** Really? I remember the 70s as the best of times. It wasnt until the 80s that things went to hell. If you recall the embargo was over the Soviet invasion of a little country called Afghanistan. Reagans reaction was to train and supply this guy named Osama bin Laden. How did that work out for us?
Looks like you didn't get on the Agricultural and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (aka the Farm Act of 1973). I'm pretty sure Reagan didn't have anything to do with that. That along with the grain embargo, and a few other implemented trade inequities, had made it where if you didn't have friends in congress, you didn't stay a farmer very long.
Rusty New You must have been in a different country. I did just great until 81.
In the early 80s Reagan allowed unrestrained trade with Europe and New Zealand which were exporting subsidized casein which destroyed the cheese market here. I was sent to a dinner for Congressman Petri by AMPI with a check and a message that we needed counterveiling duties to balance the market. Petri's response was "Thats got nothing to do with the farm bill!" Duhh... like maybe it should? At the same time the CCC was being dismantled which put milk prices in the dumper. No Ill take the 70s again any time. FYI the CCC kept grain prices off the floor for those embargoes so your version of history is a bit off.
***** I know that the grain farmers were upset but it was really hyped by the Republicans. There was more flash than thunder in those tractorcades. Dairy remained strong. It was the interest rates under Ronnie that really killed me. 24% on one loan and then my bank decided to divest from agriculture so I had to beg FLB to take me on but I had to refi at a much higher average rate that I had before. This on top of a 20% drop in milk prices. Free markets my ass! He was using foreign subsidies to push down prices so he could claim he cured inflation.
So maybe we arent all that far apart in this after all?
the answers were all in this video, first it says the guy made enough money to buy a new house, wife stopped working etc then the company went bust, ever wonder why, unions, not that clever after all eh.
thecvxman jj
Had nothing to do with employees pay. Look up the history that lead to this. Had nothing go do with employees pay.