Letter to the Stillwater NewsPress
We need Merc
I have lived in Stillwater since 1963. During this period I have seen Stillwater grow and develop into a viable and complex economic community.
Over 30 years ago Mercury Marine became part of our community and a major manufacturing company that has provided employment for hundreds of people and has taken on the role of a responsible community citizen.
I have had the privilege of knowing a number of persons associated with Mercury Marine/Mercruiser, and I often heard great things about the company.
It was a pleasure to work with Bud Agner, a former manager, and a number of other employees over the years, who were and still are responsibly working on community issues to improve the Stillwater community. Always, I appreciated their efforts.
Stillwater, in my view, must not lose Mercury Marine/MerCruiser! During these difficult economic times we must do our very best to support and maintain Mercury Marine’s position in Stillwater.
I want to thank the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Larry Brown, Sen. Halligan, and Reps. Williams and Denney for their very active efforts to enable Mercury Marine to give serious consideration to staying in Stillwater.
Also, I want to express my appreciation and thanks to other business leaders who have been part of this effort. I appreciated Barry Eller’s recent letter to the editor.
My plea is for Mercury Marine to stay in Stillwater. Mercury Marine is critical to the economy of Stillwater and Oklahoma.
It has had over $100 million in contracts with Oklahoma suppliers and logistics companies.
In the Stillwater plant it has invested over $20 million annually in research and development, and nearly $10 million a year in capital improvements.
As our economy improves, and it will in time, Mercury Marine/Mercruiser will continue to grow and develop. It enjoys the foundation and the insightful leadership to make that happen.
I am looking forward to Mercury Marine/Mercruiser continuing to be part of our community and continuing its role as a great business and citizen of Stillwater.
Harold Sare
Stillwater
I have worked @ Mercury since Oct.1983. As a single parent mercury helped me raise my children for that I am thankful. Mercury has not been just a job to me but a family & a way of life. In the past yr. we have been devastated by 4 layoffs. We have had to say goodbye to some very good workers & very good friends. People you see everyday & have worked next to for yrs. Mercury does not just support Stillwater but all the surrounding communities as well. We have people driving to work from Glencoe, Yale, Riply, Perkins Guthrie, Morrison,Davenport, Oilton,Drumwright,& I drive from Cushing. We need to keep Mercury in Stillwater. I have been @ Mercury for 26yrs. & I am low seniority. We are an older workforce now. No one under 50yrs. But we have pulled together, we have overcome a lot of challenges. People who were not used to working the lines are now on the floor chasing engines. People have taken pay cuts. We have lost our cafateria, company store, & our med. clinic,etc. People who used to do 2 &3 jobs are now doing 5 & 6.We are very flexible & continue to be safety & quality conscous. We have good workers waiting to come back to work from lay off to help us serve our customers to the best of our abilities. We are willing to do this without representives,negotiations, contracts or bad attitudes. Help us keep Mercury in Stillwater. Thank You for all the support we have already received. Diann Wingfield Cushing
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys publish grateful letters and Fondy paper contains letters talking about how greedy Mercury Marine is.
ReplyDeleteI have worked at MM in FDL as a contractor and now it appears you guys are going to get all of it. Congratulations.
Whoops, the letter I refer to was tongue in cheek. However, it seems perfectly in line with the tone of the union and people who make WI a business #377.
ReplyDelete