It seems that every day is turning out to be "one of those days." I was planning on a trip to Korea in two weeks, but found out this morning that I have to leave this weekend. Bummer.
So there I was trying to find last-minute airfare to Asia at a price that doesn't cost more than the buying my own plane. Eventually I find a rather decent fare from Northwest, but then decided that I don't want to "get a full-body skin rash that itches like hell and doesn't respond to any medical treatment." So instead I booked a cheaper fare with United, where I have no frequent flier status and cannot get upgraded from coach. Thanks a lot Peggy!
I have mixed feelings about the whole Northwest Airlines mechanics strike. On one hand, yeah, I think it sucks to put in 20 years and then have to lose money and benefits that you've worked so hard to get. But, on the other hand, I think it's really, really lame that the mechanics union thinks that they should be immune to financial hard times. Workers EVERYWHERE are having to take pay cuts and face layoffs so that companies can survive. What makes $70,000 mechanics so special that they shouldn't have to take a hit like the rest of us?
And then I read where the union spokesman is saying "the mechanics would rather see the airline go into bankruptcy than agree to Northwest's terms," and have to wonder exactly who this moron is representing. If Northwest goes bankrupt, and the airline goes under, then nobody has jobs. Isn't it better to save what jobs you can, even with a pay cut, than losing everything? I mean, it's not like Northwest is thrilled with the prospect of cutting jobs and salaries... they're just doing what they have to do to stay afloat in this horrendous financial climate where they're losing millions. It's sad, but that's reality in today's business world.
Of course, when it comes to saying outrageously stupid things, the union spokesman has a long, long way to go before he can top the senile ramblings of dumbass televangelist Pat Robertson, who wants us to assassinate the duly elected president of Venezuela. This kind of crazy pseudo-religious rambling sounded really familiar, and that's when everything suddenly became clear to me...
Strange. We've got kind of a "separated at birth" thing going on here.
Anyway, I could be wrong, but assassinating foreign leaders seems like it must be against the United Nations charter... doesn't it? We are still a member of the United Nations aren't we?
I just don't get it. People actually give money to this idiot. Has the "religious right" truly become so powerful that they don't feel the need to follow rational thought? Is this kind of outrageous, uninformed, and flat-out stupid commentary actually being taken seriously?
This is just what we need... whack-job televangelists influencing our foreign policy. As if the USA didn't have enough problems already.
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The union guy might be talking bollocks… but perhaps there just aren’t enough qualified mechanics around. And when an airline goes bankrupt, it probably won’t vanish but just be re-named with the people still having work afterwards.
I love you Dave.
Really, I do.
Next time you’re in LA, I’ll buy you dinner at a bitchin’ veggie place – just because you’re cool, not to make up for the loss of the upgrade or anything.
BUT – it’s a sad sick world when folks blame a company’s inability to turn a profit on unions.
Besides.. do you really want to cut the pay of the guy who’s making sure the plane works properly?
Why not cut the pay of the executives who are making more than a mil a year – NOT counting ‘perks’?
Have I told you that I love you, Dave?
With all the talk about “intelligent design” nobody has touched the most obvious subject: If we’re all part of some sort of intelligent design, how is it that Bush is where he is today? I mean, half-a-brain can’t be part of the same intelligent design project as I am. This furthers the proof that it’s evolution that’s behind our universe. 🙂
I think you gave Pat Robinson more brain than what he has. I believe he has more poo than brain up in the vast empty space he calls a head.
SSP: But the “new” airline might go with cheaper non-union labor or outsource everything, so everybody would be in the same boat. The number of unemployed mechanics out there who would be glad to have any job must be staggering.
Peggy: Didn’t Northwest execs already take pay cuts?? I know that pilots have taken a cut. They’ve also been cutting passenger luxuries right and left. I think a lot of people at the airline are hurting, and don’t think it’s right that mechanics are the only ones immune. Hopefully some sort of compromise can be reached.
Patrick: It also goes against other laws of nature… including “survival of the fittest.” That makes me wonder if it’s really such a good thing that we don’t eat our young from time to time.
Rob: If Pat Robinson’s “god” ISN’T imagined voices in his head… then I have to say I want no part of a “god” that entices one to murder. Personally I just don’t understand… if we are supposed to be fighting murdering religious extremists… shouldn’t the military be knocking down Pat Robinson’s door right about now?
Movie Quote: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
I can’t even comment on the insanity that is Pat Robertson. It will make my head explode and I really don’t feel like cleaning that up right now.
I’m guessing you’ve been following Pat’s backpeddaling.
Yesterday I was home sick and did some Google Newsing every so often. First Pat’s comments were taken out of context — he never said that — he could have meant something as harmless as ‘kidnapping.’ Because that would be better?
A few hours later he was apologizing for his remarks.
I guess when the full text of what you said appears in print it’s hard to make the out-of-context argument.
(And you just know he was one of the people who got worked up about the Beatles “we’re more popular than Jesus” bit.)
Regarding Northwest — didn’t Checker Cab go out of business over something like this about 20 years ago. There was a dispute and management said they’d shut down before giving in … labor thought it was BS … the company shut the doors.
(FWIW, I am pro-union and have belonged to a couple. But I recognize that it isn’t hard for unions to make the same types boneheaded decisions that management makes. Relatives of mine — union members for 30 years and more — have said the same thing.)
I agree that sometimes companies take a knock, but the management and shareholders have to lead by example.
That means that all management must take large pay cuts, with those at the top taking huge cuts, bringing their pay down to the same level as everyone else until things get better. I’m not talking about small cuts, but bringing those overpaid executives down to the same pay they’re offering mechanics. If management whines and runs elsewhere for better pay then we have to ask why should workers make sacrifices?
Shareholders have to commit to holding onto their shares even though they may lose value and there’ll no return on investment for a while. Are they willing to do that? If not why should workers make sacrifices to help line the shareholders’ pockets?
The company should also offer long-term incentives – help us out here and we’ll give you x shares, and when things get better we’ll boost your salaries beyond where they are now. Give the real people, who actually make the company run, the benefits.
The reality is that most of the time those that make all the money want to continue doing so and they expect others to make sacrifices so they can.
Pat Robinson is a scrum bag and an idiot. I wish I could throw him in the Ultimate Octagon and pound the living sense out of his poo poo noodle head.