Smithy
I doubt that leather production costs refers to Horsehide and the surge in Worldwide demand for Horsehide
Also, I should have added that since returning to Aero in 2012 we've brought wages back up to a level where I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning.
Despite being based in an area where wages have been traditionally very low for decades, the lowest paid person working at Aero is currently on £10 a hour, the best machinists are on considerably more, no interns working their socks of on the vague promise of a job or a good entry on their CV, nobody on Zero Hours or anyother employee scam.
UK Goverment target for 2020 is to raise the living wage to £9 an hour, not the legal minimum wage £9 an hour is their target for the living wage. (Minimum Wage in the UK is currently £7.83 an hour)
Can all or even any of the above firms match this commitment to their staff well being?
I don't need to tell you Ken, how much them company has improved since you can back. But I like the refreshing honesty about exactly how much your paying your staff. Also I know the borders are probably one of the more expensive areas of Scotland, but compare to where I'm living cost of living is more reasonable. So that £10 an hour would further than it would say in South East England and be worth more in real terms. I'm on the Railways and wages are pretty much the same across the country. I know because under my previous company I looked into a transfer to either Scotland or Wales. Unfourtunately we changed employers, so the option of a transfer disappeared. Which is a shame because my rent, etc would of been a lot cheaper than here.
I've seen it a few times on The Fedora Lounge, whereby your staff have directly gone out of their way to address a problem and in the case where someone hasn't even come back to you to make this complaint first, still take this on in a good natured way. And obviously your an active member here and don't just discuss your own products. We (Repoduction and Vintage Leather Jacket buyers) are after all a fairly small community, even outside of this forum.
I'm glad to see my view Aero are ethical employer reinforced. I also believe Eastman are as well.
Am I happy with the way prices have gone up so noticeably with every manufacturer over the last few years vs income. No. But I can see the bigger picture- inflation, wages, raw materials. If the governments kept a better, fair reign on the economy and the market wasn't flooded by lower quality imports it might help as well.
Sooner or later I'll be in the position to go through with my plan to get a new Half Belt through Aero and a Military Repro through Eastman.