Watchtower printing benefit from globalisation, cheap imports, less workers

by truthseeker 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  truthseeker

  The information below is very interesting and is taken from ewatchman.com

  http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2617

  At a recent meeting between Watchtower's International Printing Group and the International Purchasing Group some figures emerged.
  
  There are 19 Printing Branches around the world.
  Magazines produced: 1,152,574,615
  Books produced: 84,959,928
  "Bible Teach" Books, alone: 50,000,000 …in 165 languages
  
  One business establishment reported: "Watchtower has taken printing to another level."
  Much has been accomplished, even with less personnel than previously.
  For example, between the Pressroom and the Bindery, in 2001 there were some 313 personnel. For the same group, in 2006 the number of staff needed is only 112.
  In the Printery the staff was 773 -- the staff is now 329…a 57% reduction. Modern machinery and methods has improved savings, and less staff is needed even with production increases.
  
  As mentioned, Watchtower is not just U.S. situated…it is international…and we do what we can to keep costs down. For example, in Brazil -- there was $239 saved per metric ton of paper used. United Paper Mills said: "There is hardly a more international printing organization than Watchtower."
  
  Everything for production needs to be purchased, including equipment as well as supplies…and our Purchasing group makes those arrangements. Recently, some arrangements have been with China...and many items, from chairs to generators are being ordered. For example, some Kingdom Hall chairs were running at a cost of $47.00 each (approximately). In doing comparison of prices…each chair would cost $12.00 if purchased through China.
  
  14,292 Kingdom Halls have been constructed which also need chairs and supplies. Back in 1999 for example, Malawi had 50 Kingdom Halls….now they have 860 Kingdom Halls. An average cost to build there is about $8,546 per Kingdom Hall. The halls being constructed are simple, but attractive…and, usually, the Kingdom Hall is the nicest looking building in such areas. We have purchased everything from tile, carpet, office supplies and equipment at thousands of dollars savings. We know that Jehovah will continue to bless the work, if his people handle the funds and equipment discreetly and He will continue to give them the support needed to keep on preaching.
• 

  truthseeker

  Follow up comment, taken from ewatchman.com

  http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2617

  Seems to me that the Watchtower is taking full advantage of the evils of globalisation. Individuals who produce these goods are not paid a proper wage in China in fact its slave labour. I wonder if the Watchtower have gone to China and looked at the working conditions of the goods being produced in our KHs. If they haven’t then there are moral dimensions to this. Also China is it one of the biggest polluter on the planet and with goods being produced there its only going to get worse. Buying into china for those who have a moral conscience is wholly in my opinions unacceptable. But as the masses of JWs have no real concept of globalisation will they really care and if they did would they still care. After all they will tell you Jehovah is going to sort it out, don’t worry. I say yes Jehovah will sort it out but we still need a conscience now.
• 

  V

  This reminds me of the video Circuit Overseers were panhandling earlier this year (see Circuit Overseers Are On a Pledge Drive).

  The video shows African JWs making bricks from scratch so to save the cost of purchasing. The purchasing of Chinese goods direct will have no effect on the morals of this corporation, especially since JW preaching is banned in China and Jah's wrath will shortly decimate the 1.3 billion who inhabit this country.
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  Gopher

  The video shows African JWs making bricks from scratch so to save the cost of purchasing.

  Doesn't this remind you of the Bible story -- where Pharaoah and the Egyptians made their Israelite slaves make bricks from straw (even making them find the straw) as a punishment?

  "More bricks, more bricks!" The Watchtower Society often treats their African "brothers" as slaves.

  This is the same printing corporation that allowed horrible persecution on its Malawi members in the mid-1970's by making an issue over a 25-cent political party card while allowing their Mexican members to buy their way out of military service. http://www.freeminds.org/sales/most_burned.htm
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  Junction-Guy

  860 kingdom halls in Malawi ? is that for real? I was thinking maybe 860 for all of Africa, but dang that sounds like alot.
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  Jourles

  On EW, "Kenneth" says:

  Also China is it one of the biggest polluter on the planet and with goods being produced there its only going to get worse.

  It is likely that "Kenneth" lives and buys goods in the very same country which is not a member of the Kyoto pact. I wonder if he does his due dilligence when making purchases to see if something was Made In the USA? Afterall, it is the USA which is the largest polluter on this earth, not China.
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  Jourles

  On their listed average cost basis, they have spent $7,349,560 on building 860 kh's. That really is a drop in the bucket for them when you condsider that the lot for the Aspen, CO congregation is worth nearly $1 million. And if I recall correctly, a brother donated this lot.

  When you get down to the nuts and bolts of the matter, the WTS probably gets much of its real estate for free. I can think of two kh locations where the land was donated. One is the current Alpine, CA kh up on Victoria Dr., and the other is the Silverthorne, CO kh on Rainbow Dr. Both locations are located in very expensive communities. Couple this with the fact that the WTS now owns this real estate, that is free money in the bank. The Alpine location is probably worth several hundred thousand and the Silverthorne one is probably the same. That's TWO! halls which are worth more than $1.5 million combined.

  The WTS is loaded in real estate.