Dear Editor:
A lot has been written about the closure of Indian Motorcycle.
Most of these stories telling of yet another failed company that
couldn’t find financing or newly unemployed people, finding
themselves unexpectedly in a difficult job market.
Dear Editor:
A lot has been written about the closure of Indian Motorcycle. Most of these stories telling of yet another failed company that couldn’t find financing or newly unemployed people, finding themselves unexpectedly in a difficult job market. Many of these people had been living paycheck to paycheck. Now they find themselves trying to decide which bills to pay and which to put off for a few weeks, or worse. I don’t mean to diminish these stories of hardship as my situation is much the same. However, there is more to this story.
Working for Indian Motorcycle was much more than just another job for most. Many felt like they were part of something bigger. Bringing an American icon back to life, a feeling of ownership and pride in the product they were producing, and trying hard every day to make a contribution to that end was an awesome opportunity and responsibility.
Just prior to the closure, many of us knew that we were about to turn the corner. The new model year held the prospect of much greater acceptance in the market and probably; sales volumes that were far greater than previous years. 2004 was to be OUR year. That’s what makes the recent events so hard to accept.
During my time at Indian, I was struck by the high level of concern for product quality. I was also struck by the level of dedication. Local residents may remember seeing cars in the lot until late into the evening. Many of these were the cars of salaried employees. There were quite a few occasions that I’d say good night to several people on my way out at 8:30 p.m. More times than not, those same people were at their desk by 7 a.m. the next day. They weren’t working for that big bonus check (there weren’t going to be any bonuses). They were making history. They were rebuilding Indian Motorcycle. They were proud of what they were doing.
In the past several weeks, there have been quite a few gatherings of former employees, many of which have involved the consumption of a considerable amount of beer. In this time, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know some of these folks on a more personal level. You would struggle to find another group of co-workers that care so much for each other. There has been a feeling of family and kindness. Most of these people didn’t know me very well prior to the closure (I started there in April), but I’ve had offers of goodwill that have touched me deeply.
I have no idea what the future holds for Indian. (The bids aren’t in yet.) However, I know that the former employees deserve an opportunity to finish what they’ve started. We have some unfinished business. All we need now is someone with the guts, foresight, (and money), to give us another shot … Let us finish what we’ve started!
David Leysen, Gilroy
Submitted Thursday, Oct. 16 to ed****@****ic.com
