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n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Sun Dec 15, 2013, 08:58 PM Dec 2013

The Miracle of Profit-Sharing: Year 65 and Still No Layoffs

When Canadian journalist and friend of Making Sense Frank Koller published his book "Spark", about the profit-sharing model pioneered at Cleveland's Lincoln Electric, it encouraged Making Sense to return to the manufacturer after first reporting on them back in 1992. You can watch our update from 2011 above. (And here is a response to those who thought we were too easy on Lincoln.) Two years later, Koller now updates us on yet another profitable year for Lincoln.

Frank Koller: The annual profit-sharing bonus ceremony was held Friday in Lincoln Electric's Cleveland cafeteria, which Making Sen$e has covered extensively over the years on the NewsHour and on the Business Desk. Here are the latest numbers for the Ohio-based multinational welding manufacturer, now 118 years old:

80: uninterrupted years of paying an employee bonus (i.e. profitable every year since 1934)

$33,029: average 2013 bonus per U.S. employee (roughly 3,000 employees)

$81,366: average 2013 total earnings per U.S. employee (wages or salary + bonus)

$100.7 million: total pre-tax profit shared with employees, Lincoln's largest bonus pool ever

0: number of layoffs in 2013 (that makes 65 years without any layoffs)

#1: Lincoln Electric remains number one in the global marketplace in its industry. (As "LECO" on the Nasdaq exchange, its stock is currently at an all-time high.)

more

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2013/12/the-miracle-of-profit-sharing.html

Wonder what the USA would be like if all companies were run this way.....

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indepat

(20,899 posts)
2. If all companies were run this way, 'murika would look like a first-world country wherein
Sun Dec 15, 2013, 10:10 PM
Dec 2013

the population enjoyed a good standard of living with access to medical care, improved health and longevity, lower infant and maternity mortality rates, much less urban blight and decay, very little poverty and very little hunger or homelessness, much lower crime rates and a greatly decreased prison population. Moreover, the new America would then rank at or near the top among industrialized nations in all major quality-of-life ranking factors instead of at or near the bottom in all.

loudsue

(14,087 posts)
3. This is as it should be across the board.
Sun Dec 15, 2013, 10:41 PM
Dec 2013

There are so many profitable, FAIR, and humane alternatives to the corporatist agenda that has taken over America. It's time we got behind the REAL leaders, and started a non-violent revolution.

rgbecker

(4,890 posts)
4. Not to mention their product is the standard of the industry.
Sun Dec 15, 2013, 10:45 PM
Dec 2013

You won't be disappointed with a Lincoln Welder.

Mopar151

(10,348 posts)
6. Linclon is a big success - but it's not for everybody
Sun Dec 15, 2013, 11:00 PM
Dec 2013

No benefits, vacation, sick days, etc. - up to you to do it out out of pocket Which ain't bad when your pockets are full - or your spouse gets bennies.

Not a comfy place to work - drafty dump of a plant, go hard or go away culture. Spend a dime, 20 people will be on your ass about it.

Design bordering on genius - Linclon makes sophisticated electrical equipment that functions beautifully (I own 2 Lincoln welders), after being assembled with air tools and hammers, with self-tapping screws no less.

 

stevenleser

(32,886 posts)
10. Are you sure? Their website touts them being first company ever to offer paid vacation in the 1920s
Mon Dec 16, 2013, 04:15 PM
Dec 2013

I am interested in seeing a link if you have one.

Mopar151

(10,348 posts)
13. I could be wrong on the vacation
Mon Dec 16, 2013, 07:01 PM
Dec 2013

I used to work in a related field, and our niche was owned by several of the big players in welding equipment. One of them (Hobart ) was a profit sharing company, and somebody from there brought in a video (maybe old PBS???) on Lincoln's ways of doing things.

BelgianMadCow

(5,379 posts)
11. If we hold democracy in such high esteem, how come we accept that it ends
Mon Dec 16, 2013, 04:38 PM
Dec 2013

at the front door to work?

 

Egalitarian Thug

(12,448 posts)
12. This needs to be shouted every day until people hear it. There are hundreds of cooperation-based
Mon Dec 16, 2013, 04:44 PM
Dec 2013

businesses thriving all over the nation, but they get virtually no press.

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