Return of manufacturing jobs: A tall order, says EconoMeter panel

Roger Showley, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

Friday, January 27, 2017

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An employee works in the auto parts production line in the Bosch factory in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. / AFP / Pedro Pardo (Photo credit should read PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images) (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images)

Kelly Cunningham, National University System - YES: Regulatory and tax reform can go a long way to encourage manufacturing production to return, stay, and/or increase in the U.S. However, technology progress has dramatically accelerated the automation of production processes, leaving manufacturing much less reliant upon physical labor than ever before. To remain competitive modern manufacturing does not require as many workers to produce more products. Fewer manufacturing jobs are therefore likely to return even if manufacturing can be returned to the U.S.