By Andy Zipser
Okay, class. Today we have a pop quiz—but don’t panic! There’s only one question, and the answer is multiple-choice, so you have at least a 25% chance of getting it right: What do you get when an industry pressures an inadequately staffed and poorly trained workforce into increasing output by almost 50%?
a) A lot of shoddy product.
b) A lot of sick and injured workers.
c) Record industry profits.
d) All of the above.
If you answered d), congratulations! You’ve just described Elkhart, Indiana, which is to recreational vehicles what Detroit once was to automobiles. Four out of every five RVs in the U.S. roll out of Elkhart, an area dominated by three major players the way Detroit was once dominated by Ford, Chrysler and GM: Thor Industries, Forest River and Winnebago Industries. Unlike Detroit, however, Elkhart is union-free in a so-called “right-to-work” state. And unlike Detroit in past decades, Elkhart has been ravaged by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The result, as documented October 19 by the Indianapolis Star in a damning 15,000-word, four-part, multi-media series, is an industry riddled with broken bodies and a record number of recalled RVs, even as the major manufacturers all have been posting unsurpassed revenues and profit margins. COVID drove an unexpected surge in demand for RVs, much of it from first-time buyers who were looking for a safe way to travel. But COVID also decimated the ranks of RV factory workers, even as they were being pushed to increase production by almost 50%.
Inevitable results
Two results were inevitable. One was a volley of COVID-19 complaints to the underfunded, undermanned and industry-friendly Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which responded not with inspections but with requests to employers to submit documents “proving” they were following COVID-19 safety protocols. Indeed, IOSHA’s response was so perfunctory that it physically inspected only 44 of more than 6,000 COVID-related complaints state-wide—the worst inspection rate in the U.S.—including just two in Elkhart County, neither involving major RV makers. The county eventually recorded nearly 700 COVID deaths.
But the Indy Star also found that problems in the RV plants had been brewing long before the epidemic, which the virus only exacerbated. “Workers told Indy Star about injuries from lax safety rules and the fast pace, drug use, unfair pay structures, a disciplinary system that punishes workers for taking sick time, a lack of training, and quality issues with products that leave factories,” the Star reported. “Several RV workers said they and others inside the factories needed daily uppers such as energy drinks, Ritalin or Adderall—even methamphetamine—to keep up with the pace.”
The other predictable result was that as the work pace picked up—one Winnebago employee said he went from working on 16 RVs a day to 36 during the pandemic—the products coming off the line were increasingly substandard. Ron Burdge, an Ohio attorney who has been suing RV manufacturers for years over defective products, told the Star that RV quality had been declining for at least 15 years prior to the pandemic, but took a nosedive once it hit. Record-setting recall numbers bear him out. Companies owned by Thor Industries recalled more than 156,000 RVs this year alone, while Forest River—a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway—recalled nearly 200,000, and Winnebago Industries recalled more than 125,000.
“All are among the highest for each company in the last five years,” the Star reported. “Among the problems that led to recalls: gas leaks, various electrical issues, increased propane pressure and poorly installed awnings.” One example it offered of the life-threatening dangers unwitting RV buyers have been accepting: an Oregon family that purchased a 40-foot Heartland Road Warrior for more than $100,000, only to have it burst into flame in Montana on the return trip home, totaling it and the tow vehicle. The cause appears to have been faulty wiring in the fifth-wheel’s electrical panel, yet as the Star observed, RV workers don’t need a license or certification to do electrical work.
Industry response to the Star’s findings, grim as they are, thus far consists either of stonewalling or of denying there is a problem in the first place. Thor Industries responded to the newspaper’s requests for comment by claiming the quality of its units had actually improved, even as it was making more of them, as evidenced by a lower level of warranty claims—without acknowledging not just this year’s 156,000 recalls, but the 371,384 recalls it had in 2021. Forest River, meanwhile, didn’t respond at all to the Star’s requests for comment, while Winnebago declined to answer the newspaper’s questions about quality issues.
The industry seems to hope the Indy Star’s series will disappear
The industry overall seems to be hoping the Star’s blockbuster series will sink out of sight. RV PRO, an online site “for the RV professional,” ran a terse and nonspecific news item about the series on the day it was published, much of it devoted to quoting an equally nonspecific response from the RV Industry Association (RVIA), the trade association for RV manufacturers. Lamenting that it had been answering the Star’s questions for nearly a year, “emphasizing the high priority the RV industry places on workplace safety and the safety of our products,” the RVIA insisted that “protecting the safety of these valued employees is of paramount importance to our industry.”
RVIA’s own website, however, has none of that. Indeed, at this writing, the RVIA website makes no mention at all of the Indy Star story and its withering critique.
Putting an ironic frosting on the cake, so to speak, it must be noted that Winnebago Industries held a previously scheduled earnings call at 10 a.m. October 19, even as the Star’s report was being published online. Business was gang-busters, financial investors and analysts were told: fourth-quarter net revenues were up 14%, year over year, for a gross profit of $210.4 million. Net revenues for the year were $5 billion, for a record gross margin of 18.7%.
No questions were asked—and no information was given—about workforce or production issues. Chief financial officer Bryan Hughes, however, did offer the observation that “the company and our culture are successful because all our employees care deeply about our end customers, strategic business partners and each other.”
Read the story at the Indy Star
RELATED STORY IN THIS SERIES
Shoddy work. Unhappy buyers. A near-death experience. When the RV lifestyle goes wrong
More from Andy:
Andy Zipser is the author of Renting Dirt, the story of his family’s experiences owning and operating a Virginia RV park, and of Turning Dirt, a step-by-step guide for finding, buying and operating an RV park and campground. Both books are available through bookstores or at Amazon.com.
By Chuck Woodbury, publisher
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##RVT1074b
Kind of makes you ashamed to be an RVer.
Why? You have nothing to do with this.
Agree!
Mmm, ok maybe. We buy RV’s made by these companies and continue to support this industry with our pocketbooks, essentially perpetuating the problem. It’s like buying sneakers that are made overseas by child labor. We can decide not to buy the shoes in hope of better working conditions, but just like RV’s, we as a society want stuff for cheap and will ignore the human rights problems that are not on our doorstep so we can afford shiny new Nike’s (and Winnebago’s and iPhones, etc). We as a society are addicted to cheap labor, as ANY super power in history is (must be?), and weaning ourselves off this is pretty much impossible at this point. I am personally at the beginning of my search for a new RV, and will be looking for manufactures that at least try to provide fair wages and working conditions. Trick is quantifying that… what are the “good ones”? How do we really know? I get this viewpoint is not uncommon, and I’m not all that smart, but individual behavior can affect things at the macro level. Just don’t hold your breath.
Mark G. Look at Newell Coach or Foretravel. You will like .
Take a look at EEE (Triple E) that makes high quality Class C motorhomes in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. Triple E made the business decision to not increase production but to continue to make high quality motorhomes. They are not cheap but they are exceptionally well built with superb quality. I am extremely happy with my 2021 EEE Wonder Murphy Bed.
Yes, we all had something to do with this, especially if we were repeat buyers. We bought the product and we keep buying it even those of us who know and expect the prevailing quality of the new units.
Are you reading the same article as Seann?
Comparatively speaking, anyone think the drug cartels would be as horrific without Americans’ thirst for their products? Everything purchased and consumed has a direct relationship with the economy of supply and demand. And then there’s the relationship of an educated consumer. How many of you bought a Yugo? It quickly turned out to be a piece of crap based on consumer reports known to everyone. The uneducated consumer is what the RV industry prefers.
Yes it does. However, hope springs eternal. I thought based on the price level and the reputation of my last RV things would be different, but same ole same ole.
Typically for most media today, the Indy Star appears to have it’s own agenda.
I’m not denying the obvious greed by corporations and their quest for the almighty dollar, as top priority. But that has been evident, as noted for over 15 years. Our last, almost, problem free RV was a 2006 Jayco 5th wheel. It required little more than maintenance.
However, the drug issue is a societal problem that is institutionalized within the Medical profession. Be it mental or physical health.
Business, Government, and Health all frequently look the other way when dollars are at stake. A systemic problem. It takes people with Integrity to resist the attraction of the dollar.
I have sold Winnebago travel trailers for almost 10 years at the dealership I work for. The product they are giving us today is Better Built than it’s ever been. I think there’s a lot of b******* in this article
I certainly agree with your last two sentences. I’ve owned over 20 RVs and for the most part had pretty good luck. The problem is when your luck runs out and the manufacturer won’t take responsibility and just stone walls because they know they got the bucks and you don’t. This is a major purchase for most owners and thousands of dollars in repairs is not fun.
I wasn’t aware IN is a “Right to Work” state, I thought those only were in the south, I’m glad I decided to retire from GM in 1999 instead of transferring from AL to IN to continue working for GM. It was bad enough in AL. Although our site was unionized there were plenty of “scabs” making the money and taking the benefits the union fought for.
27 states and Guam have right-to-work laws in place, many outside of the South.
Just an observation but it appears the workers knew what they were getting into, especially the folks that kept going back. Most were uneducated and just chasing the big paycheck. This issue is all about the money on both the employer and employee parts. No one forced anyone to work in these miserable conditions. As for the folks who purchased problem riddled RV’s, nowhere does it mention any of them doing their own pre-acceptance/pre-purchase inspection. RV’s are expensive purchases and should be well inspected either by the purchaser or an independent professional on their behalf, before it leaves the showroom. After owing multiple RV’s over the years, I understand that things can happen only after traveling miles down the road but issues like fuses continually blowing, slide-outs that rip the floor and don’t function properly are red flags that should have been picked up by the owner at the dealer before signing.
Sorry, BillT this is another Bill who strongly disagrees with you. Quality is Job 1!! We both know that!!
In reality, for the past decade at least, quality has never been “job 1” in the RV manufacturing industry and it is ultimately the end users responsibility to do the best job they can to be satisfied with the condition of any new RV they are paying good money for. An Indepth PDI and becoming functional with all the systems BEFORE you sign the paperwork can make the difference between a rig you can use (even if there are some cosmetic issues) and a rig you are paying for a lengthy stay on some service lot or heaven forbid, become a catastrophic problem for you or your family.
I can not understand why anyone would not hire an independent inspector and get the repair work done BEFORE the big check gets handed over. If you can afford the rig, you can afford the inspection. Never trust the the dealer to give 2 farts about you AFTER the money is in their account. Some dealers are wonderful, some dealers are evil, most are just trying to run their business. No matter what they are, your status with them changes once the deal is consummated.
Just curious…how many RVs have you owned? Type?
Three. 21′ Travel trailer, 30′ fifth wheel and currently a 35′ Class C. The class c is the only RV we bought new in 2015. It took me about 4 hours to go over the MH for defects and to operate all the systems. I checked all electrical and plumbing that I was able to, (roof and slide seals, power center screw torques, hand tightened four tap fittings and verified proper operation of the generator and ATS switch operation etc.) A proper PDI on all three saved us with propane issues on the travel trailer and battery issues and roof sealants on the 5’ver. Taking the time to inspect upfront before cash changes hands has saved us thousands in repair bills and dealer wait times.
Isn’t it amazing how fast the dealers can fix an RV when the repairs are holding up a sale? Don’t hear about supply problems or waiting on the manufacturer’s approval.
And why shouldn’t the RV manufacturing industry be any different than other businesses here in the US – like oil companies? At least there are standards for fuel. When you head to the pump to fill up there are strict standards for the grade of gas or diesel you’re filling up with. When you buy a (non-RV) vehicle, they are built to strict quality standards. Why not with RV’s? I also understand why the RV makers would apply the same low health and safety standards as their low quality standards. Or use of drugs in the workplace. Or their failure to follow manufacturing codes resulting in RV failures as soon as they are driven off the lot. Right to work is not the issue here. It’s business practice. It’s business culture. What will it take to change these?
The one thing that might help but will take time is start gathering statistics on RV quality issues. The challenge is who is going to initiate it and who is going to pay for it. Are you willing to pay a small amount to submit and retrieve the data? I am. I am even willing to get the initiative started. I’m looking for advice on how to accomplish this. Somehow we need to get the attention of the lawmakers. I hate too much government oversight but when that is what it takes then so be it.
VOTE for the party that believes in safety regulations or suffer the consequences!
From the RV owner’s perspective, 3 things matter: cost, utility and quality (reliability). Utility stems from design, and complex design generally leads to greater utility. Complex design however leads to more cost, more difficult assembly, and more opportunity for things to go wrong. Presumably, more careful construction will lead to greater reliability. For boutique manufacturers, this is one of their selling points to justify their higher price. Mass market manufacturers must meet consumer price expectations. It would be helpful if there were factual statistics on after-sale service requirements by brand and model, as opposed to the plethora of anecdotes on brand fanboy sites. The auto industry has this, so everybody knows, for example, that Lexus is more reliable than Range Rover. More data would enable the RV industry to actually analyze processes across the industry and learn from each other. Government could help with better warranty regulation.
How the heck could the “government” regulate anything with 50% of the body needed to pass laws is controlled by those sworn not to regulate? And let us never forget even if they managed to pass a law that allowed this regulation, we now have a Supreme Court hell bent on getting rid of all existing regulations if they can.
I’m an injury lawyer. If you want to stay safe on the roads, keep your old rig (as we have done). Perform repairs and renovations yourself. And stay far away from insufficiently regulated semi trucks, were an 85 year old or worse might be watching YouTube as he’s barreling down the road without enough sleep.
Just an observation, but the one propane regulator recall seems to be the major cause of recalls and cause of one of the key points of danger listed in the story. While I am not defending the industry by any stretch of the imagination, the regulator recall should have been mentioned in the articles.
And made in China crap should also be mentioned.
That means riding on stone wheels and drinking out of puddles Fred.
Frankly speaking, this will not change a thing. “Indy Star”, hardly a media outlet. Neither is IN, besides being the capital of RV manufacturing. RVIA, well, their a puppet and will never speak out against the hands that feeds it. Those who read this website currently have a TT, Fiver, Class A, B, C and in between. Some have their own websites or podcast and guess what, “WE” are still grasping for air. Think about it, this website advertises all upcoming RV shows and you are in awe of what you see when you attend. Any of you ever question the dealers there of shoddy workmanship? Hardly!
My wife and I attended an RV show last Spring and were certainly not in awe of anything! Junk…didn’t see a thing we would personally consider buying. And yes…I made comments to numerous sales people about the complete lack of quality for outrageous prices. They didn’t waste time hanging around us! 🙂
Spike, we haven’t bought new since 2012 or 15… I don’t remember exactly… that was a 19’ TT and it was built pretty well. We looked at several units at the RVMH show in Elkhart that year. Even back then there were quality issues with several units that we looked at.
My wife was formerly a quality control inspector for Chris Craft boats and at the time worked for Dutchman RV. Since that new unit that was great but too small for us we have owned 4 different Class A units. The newest one we owned was 13-14 years old at the time…we kept trading for larger units…and our current diesel pusher is 21 years old.
Besides my wife I have a daughter that worked in RVs as well as several other family members and friends… if you live in Elkhart County you either work in the industry or know at least 3-4 people that do…and everyone I know that is still connected to the industry says they would absolutely not buy a new unit because they are all ‘Junk’.
I have seen the wear and tear on people. The article points out extreme cases but it’s not uncommon. My neighbor has been in the industry for probably 30 years and has been talking about moving to Tennessee for a couple of years now to get away from it. His son lives there and does construction work. My neighbor says he doesn’t care about the money anymore. The relaxed lifestyle of his son is much more appealing.
Now that RV production is slowing down, the question is how the manufacturers will adjust to this. Will they go back to pre-covid levels of production and employment, and produce a better product. Or will they lay off a bunch of employees and maintain the production per employee level at peak levels, continuing to build crap. I fear it will be the latter.
I live near Elkhart, IN. Keystone closed down 2 of its plants at the end of Sept, laying off 334 workers. One of the plants was opened at the end of 2019 and hired an additional 120 workers at that time. This industry opens and closes plants based on supply and demand.
I couldn’t read the entire article without subscribing. Disappointing. But yes, we all know the problems are real whether you are buying a $10,000 pull behind or a $1,000,000 Class A – and the sad part is that any repeat buyer expects to have numerous items needing repair. One of the reasons so many of us are keeping our rigs longer than in the past is that once we finally get everything fixed that wasn’t done right at the factory, we need a few years of having an RV without fixing defects before we start again.
I saw it with my own eyes. They literally throw the RV together trying to make quota. My wife & I toured the Elkhart factories – what a mess. The industry needs to retire the archaic method of piecework pay. No wonder quality is missing. As far as repairs, what a joke! Mine RV spent the entire summer at the repair shop waiting for a carburetor. I’ve been RVing for 20 years, but I’m ready to find a new hobby. @@
RVs have always been poorly made. All veterans of the RV lifestyle accept this.
Buy it, fix it, modify it. All in the first year.
Don’t bother the dealer with recalls, fix it yourself. The service dept at the local RV dealer is probably difficult, if not impossible to work with.
Junction City, Oregon used to be the RV manufacturing capitol of the west, until the 2008 recession. And the working conditions were very similar as those in the article, minus the COVID 19 propaganda. Plus Oregon is not a right to work state.
It appears that the writer of the article is pushing a greater agenda than the need for the RV manufacturers to increase the quality of their products, and treat the employees fairly?
It’s looks like this article’s underlying goal is to promote anti- corporation, and pro socialism government agenda to me, thru the channel of an emotional issue that affects all RV owners.
Will you pease take a closer look into the real issues involved in major manufacturing production under the current economic and governmental conditions in the industry, before forming your opinion?
Well stated , Derik!
Covid propaganda? Something over 1,000,000 deaths.
“…underlying goal is to promote anti- corporation, and pro socialism government agenda to me, thru the channel of an emotional issue that affects all RV owners.”
What the deuce?? Are you visiting from an alternate reality or just guzzling from the teat of OAN? Inflation is at a 50 year high – but so are corporate profits. That’s not anti-corp, that’s reality. Pro-socialism?? These are workers sacrificing their bodies and their future health (and their families futures) for enough to try and keep a roof over their head – if they can afford one thanks to these companies buying up rentals and jacking up the monthly costs, and homes being build for investors over first time buyers. What we need is MORE STRINGENT oversight and regulation, not less. We don’t need a ‘nanny state’, but we do need companies to realize they are building a $150,000 product for $70,000 and much less if possible.
Seriously, I can’t believe how short sighted some of you ‘consumers’ are.
Derik nailed it Jeff!
Amen. And RVs aren’t the only thing we aren’t regulating. If you don’t give a damn about safety, you deserve what happens next. The sad thing is that those of us who do care about safety still have to live with these horrible decisions.
Jeff Craig you nailed it. Looks like a few Trojan Horses on here.
One thing that the article didn’t mention was the Amish work force at some of the plants. The Amish have a serious work ethic and are incredibly fast workers. We have had several Amish crews work on different aspects of our sticks and bricks. Normally the Amish don’t do shoddy work. (I live near Elkhart County in Indiana.)
You are right on that one Cookie. Yes, the Amish have serious work ethics and produce nice results. Everything seems like it fits using decent material.
I have been living in a Keystone Laredo fifth wheel after selling my house a few years ago. In every room I have a few fire extinguishers, smoke detector, and a Sentry Safe for important papers. I’m always concerned about these paper rigs and fires.
Amen!!!! It’s not all workers. It may be a shit show, but not all….
Thanks for sharing this. I am surprised the RV industry’s big bucks didn’t suppress this article and I hope there are more coming. I don’t think they purposely make junk, but money blinds even good people (Warren Buffet).
We need a clearing house for RV owners to report issues similar to Consumer Reports (not what it use to be). It is easy for them to deny the problem when there is little data. We need to get over the attitude: “This is just the way it is when you own an RV.” What other consumer product has this issue? If the Japanese or Koreans would start building RVs Elkhart and Sugarcreek would be history.
The Japanese did make the American car manufactures improve the quality of their units back in the 70s and 80s’. Can you imagine what a well designed, well produced, with quality control, a dealer network that is interested in actually fixing the product, and being compensated fairly, along with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty, would do to the current RV manufacturers?
The RV industry has worked hard to get the reputation they have!
They did point out that warrantee claims are down. Could that be because the rigs sit at the dealer’s shop for months on end waiting for the initial claim to be approved while the warranty runs out?
Gosh…. If only there was real competition between RV manufacturers like there was in the 90’s, instead of three major companies making over 80% of all the nameplates. The loss of quality in RVs can be resolved with better adhesives, more automation/3D printed walls, and standardization of electrical looms and mechanical systems. Some of the newer manufacturers have figured this out. The ‘Big Three’ seem to be more concerned with Wall Street, instead of the people who buy their products on Main Street.
Shop accordingly.
Thank you for this article and the Indy Star piece. Although I suspected many of the poor conditions mentioned existed, it was sobering to hear all the personal accounts of injuries and poor conditions. Again, thank you RV Travel.
So Andy, which Labor Union do you freelance for?? Your article is a carbon copy of the ones that are written about Amazon, Starbucks, etc…. The same old diatribe about injured workers and corporate profits. Of course if the employees vote to Unionize and pour millions of dollars of their wages into Union dues all these problems will miraculously disappear.
Clint, I’m sorry to say but you speak from ignorance on this subject.
The worker’s conditions would improve. But what is really needed are REGULATIONS of the RV industry. You know that dirty word that a certain political party never wants to happen because of the almighty profits? Well screw those. Instead we will allow RV manufacturers to build units with electricity WITHOUT ELECTRICAL PERMITTING. Holy hell. This country reaps what it sows. I just wish I didn’t have to be on the road with those who buy ticking time bombs.
I have a solution. RVTravel has a list of qualified attorneys willing to help you.
Do they really? Can you lead me to a link? I have reached out to a few but none willing to take on Camping World.
Hi, Jamie. For “lemon” RVs we recommend Attorney Ron Burdge, but I don’t know if he would handle anything concerning Camping World. Here’s the link to his website and maybe he can help, or give you someone to contact: https://rvlemonlaw.com Good luck! 😀 –Diane
No new news here – not to RVer’s anyway. The media outlet, a newspaper, sets the tone for the piece within the first two paragraphs though with “union-free” and “so-called ‘right-to-work state.'” So Andy should then provide some evidence non-union workers in a right-to-work state have a quid pro quo relationship to production quality, or, lack of it, in the pandemic-period RV industry. More bilge water crap!
Elkhart. Like Detroit. Is about to become an industry of the past, and once again. it is by their own hand. Unlike Detroit. Nobody needs an RV to go to work, or grocery shopping. I don’t think they thought this out too well.
his point isn’t lost, but its very cringe. not sure how Elkhart was more effected than Detroit with covid? additionally tries to say works couldn’t keep up with the pace with out uppers such as energy drinks. am i the only one noticing that Union Auto workers have been drinking coffee and energy drinks for decades. the Auto plants around me were riddled with meth users and other drugs. he doesnt understand the corrilation between demand and profit
Andy would make a good National Enquirer writer.
Hi, J. Except Andy speaks/writes the truth, so the Enquirer probably wouldn’t keep him around very long. 🙄 –Diane
Looks like losing 80lbs did her some good.
Like the Enquirer writers, Andy grabs a thread of truth and sensationalizes it, omitting facts that provide a more balanced understanding. I can see why you support him- this hyperbole “sells papers”.
Such a lie….we were shut down just like everyone else
I was wondering how come the world was shut down during Covid but not the RV industry. Such dross!
If you (i.e., the RV industry) were “shut down just like everyone else”, where did the 430,412 new units shipped in 2020 and the 600,240 (a record, BTW) new units shipped in 2021 come from? Stats from RVIA, BTW. Hmmm? –Diane
I can tell you. They ran us ragged took down piece rate to make up for the months we were shut down. It financial rocked the most of us! Unemployment didn’t cover our price rate, so we were left holding nothing to pay bills. Than it opened back up and instead of getting home @2 many of us went home at 5pm getting chewed out by management for not dishing out double the units to make up. What’s sad is you lumped ALL RV industry’s when there some who didn’t do what you claim in theses articles. They forced many us in already 110 heat to wear mask working in tight conditions….
Now they have back logs, unfair pay? It’s called staying where you apply. No talking about the Plant hoping, and how many of the ones who care are saddled with newbies who just want 100% piece rate/and leave early but not work for it. No substance on how the ones that have been there 10 plus years are forced to take up the work load from the newbies who straight lie.
Honestly the writer has one view and one only, that ALL Are guilty despite the many that aren’t. There for sure some bad ones, all you have to do is ask how long that leadership has worked there to find out which ones are shoddy. Locals know the rules if there isn’t 10-15 year vet working there get out…
Simply join RV job Facebook group and you’ll see the many hoping
Anyone following the RV arena knows that poor construction is standard, and anyone buying a new rig will have to spend big bucks to fix it, which is why newbies are advised to buy used. That alone tells you that the work is shoddy and the industry cares more about profits than quality. And any company that prioritizes profit over quality likely also cares little for safety, working conditions, employee health, etc. None of this is surprising to anyone who has ever spent any time working for companies that care only about the bottom line above all else. It’s also not surprising to see that a bunch of pro-RV industry folks swooped in here, likely at the request of their bosses, to defend the industry. What did surprise me was this phrase: “… RV workers don’t need a license or certification to do electrical work.” OMG, that one fact alone should be grounds to regulate the entire industry.
If you are looking for a quality Rv, Alliance is producing top of the line product with an unmatched customer service incase anything may be wrong. Alliance has a superb crew of workers and the pay is phenomenal. Alliance Rv!!!!
Many other countries don’t seem to suffer from the blatent “cooperate greed” that plagues the US. Try “Northern Lite” for a high quality and well constructed truck camper. Built in Canada…and I have one.