Readers React: Why can’t Metro rail cars be built by a U.S. company?

To the editor: On the same day The Times reported that Cal State Los Angeles was nearing a deal with its faculty union, Jim Newton wrote about Kinkisharyo International deciding to leave town and build rail cars for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority elsewhere because of a labor dispute. (“No winners in this MTA train wreck,” Op-Ed, Oct. 19)

For years now, Metro has gone around the world to have someone else make the rail cars that we should be making here.

We have a great workforce that has built satellites and the best military planes in the world, and we have to go to Europe and Asia to find someone who can build rail cars?

Perhaps some of our wealthier folks who can find billions to throw away on overvalued sport teams would like to invest in this growing industry.

Metro should be speaking to private investors here in Southern California and let homegrown workers build the rail cars for our rail system.

Larry Margo, Valley Village

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To the editor: Newton’s “stubborn company” and “stubborn union” comments on the loss of the Kinkisharyo manufacturing facility in Palmdale are a cop-out.

The union couldn’t get representation through the legally prescribed method of a secret ballot election, so it resorted to environmental intimidation. The company refused to be intimidated.

Unless Newton believes all union representation demands must be met, it’s the union that’s at fault here.

Herbert Roth, Newport Beach

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