AU: Should Australians still buy Blundstone shoes after it moves its manufacturing offshore?

Blundstones, a major Australian shoe manufacturer, has decided to move its manufacturing to Thailand or India, requiring it to lay off the workers in its plant in Tasmania. Other Australian companies who did the same with their businesses are: Yakka Jeans, Aquila Shoes, Feltex Carpets, Shared Apparel, Domestic Textile, J Boag Clothing and VOA Webco.

Of course, our initial reaction, as Australians, is to feel angry about other Australians losing their jobs to someone else overseas. With the latest case, individuals and companies have stopped buying Blundstones shoes to protest.

On the other hand, as long as Blundstones operational cost remains high in comparison to what they can be, it is very likely that they will eventually have to charge us, Australian consumers, with higher prices to be able to pay their bills. The question then is not whether we should boycott companies taking their operations overseas but rather: Will we pay higher prices for Blundstone shoes if they are displayed side-by-side with a much cheaper shoe manufactured from overseas?

Have your say: How do you feel about Blundstones taking its manufacturing overseas and what should we, as Australians, do about Australian companies moving their operations overseas?

Just post a comment below.