Sandcrab, I think you are missing the point. This is a permanent contraction (loss) of US jobs. At least 50% of the jobs lost in the past 4 years will never, ever come back in our lifetime. The US manufacturing industry has passed the plateau and is now on the decline. That means, permanent decline=fewer mfg jobs. The mfg jobs that do come back to the US will pay less. This is the equalization that is required that has been building up for decades, since the 1980s.
You simply cannot pay a high school grad, right out of school, more than a 4 year college grad. That cannot last forever.
UAW new hire with HS degree was: $56,000 per year
Detroit public school teacher with 4 year degree: $17,000 per year
The auto companies are trying to get the UAW to agree to a lower pay scale, so new hires with a HS degree would start at about $34,000 per year.
Compare this to a new City of Grand Rapids police officer with a college degree: $25,000 per year.
(These are actual numbers I have read in various news articles.)