Low prices also mean less money for companies to grant pay raises, which presumably could exacerbate the labor problems.
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After taking a look at PAL's books and labor problems, however, the two airlines got cold feet and withdrew their bids.
It later applied digital signal processing to automate credit reporting but five years ago sold the business, frustrated by labor problems and consumer antipathy.
The construction of the factory led to speculation that the auto maker might shift its manufacturing base from Haryana because of the labor problems there.
"We were warned that we would have labor problems, that New York is totally different, that New York customers are used to rude employees, "chairman Mackey says wearily.
These retailers say they are aware of child-labor problems, have strict policies against selling products made by underage kids and abide by the laws of the countries from which they import.
What's so wonderful about locally made fashion is that it offers designers tight control over their product, has a lower environmental footprint and makes it easier to keep an eye on any labor problems.
The company also has just emerged from a spate of labor problems, with two local union strikes at key factories and a nearly three-month strike at key parts maker American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings.
But the inevitable labor problems, computer meltdowns, stock price fluctuations and employee displacement (I lost a job in an airline merger, by the way) are steps on the path to an improved industry that better serves its passengers.
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The company also has just emerged from a spate of labor problems, with two local union strikes at key factories and a nearly three-month strike at key parts maker American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings (nyse: AXL - news - people ).
The company is not in the construction business itself, and so avoids the ups and downs of that industry, frequently caused by exposure to cost overruns and labor contract problems.
The company was beset by production problems, labor troubles, and political issues in Indonesia and Peru.
But labor activists say the same problems are rampant in low-cost Asian countries, which produce most of the world's clothing.
Media services firm MagnaGlobal, a division of advertising and marketing giant Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), recently lowered its 2012 forecast for total ad spending growth to 2.9 percent from 4.8 percent, pointing to a slowdown in manufacturing, consumer spending and ongoing problems in the labor and housing markets.
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Nothing in the euro zone's history suggests the offer of blank checks, whether from the ECB or bailout funds, will do anything other than buy time time that will be squandered rather than used to address deep structural problems arising from inflexible labor markets, inefficient bureaucracies and unaffordable welfare systems.
Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.
The Labor party, like Lapid, stressed domestic problems while the new party Hatnua, led by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni focused on peace talks.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott told reporters that it was Labor's "performance which is causing the problems for this government", not media coverage.
While the US unemployment rate for November unexpectedly fell to 8.6 percent from 9 percent in October, recent jobs numbers may reflect deeper systemic problems in the nation with respect to labor and economic activity.
Though Nike committed to fair labor practices more than a decade ago, it still faces problems, including a report by the Associated Press last year that workers for its Converse brand in Indonesia were being slapped by supervisors, forced to stand in the scorching sun for hours at a stretch as punishment for not meeting quotas, and insulted as dogs and pigs by bosses.
Louisiana is still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but it also struggles with two major problems that existed long before the storms: an uneducated labor force and an unhealthy reputation for corruption.
Today the Department of Labor is issuing guidance on new legislation that will help to address these problems.
True, the production has been mired by problems at MGM (which looks ready to declare bankruptcy) and labor strife in New Zealand and returning actors are sure to expect pay hikes, but that has not resulted in The Hobbit becoming the most expensive movie of all time.
Still, Delphi faces many of the same problems as the Big Three automakers, including high health-care and labor costs.
The regionals' small workforces don't bring the same kind of antagonistic seniority problems to a merger that a pairing of two large airlines does, so labor issues aren't likely to kill a deal.
Dongguan is facing mounting problems as factories close down and manufacturing moves to other cities in China and abroad which offer cheaper labor.
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