Comments on: NWA Says ‘Screw Your Dignity’

By: russ

russ — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:24:01 +0000

Actually, No Way makes a great point vis-a-vis the recent airline labor battles, and he doesn't even know it.

You'd pay more for a broom pusher than an enigneer. Agreed.

Let's follow that logic to an airline pilot or mechanic. What's unique about those jobs is the very low tolerance for error. That's why there are 2 pilots and I assume a couple mechanics checking each others work. These guys can't screw up.

So what happens when a corp decides thay can get the same guy for less? Maybe they can, maybe they can't? Either way it's your ass in the seat, not the ceo's.

Personally, I'd have real questions about flying an airline that says, "we can get by with a lower quality employee."

Remember, you'd pay more for better skills, so if you pay less you should expect to get less, right?

Happy flying on nwa & mesaba!

By: msparber

msparber — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:08:55 +0000

I love it when people just randomly decide to be an asshole about other people’s livelihood.

You know, my friends, you’d be pretty fucked without the broom pushers of this world. Sure, they shouldn’t make as much as an electrical engineer, but they should be able to make a living. They work pretty goddamn hard, you know.

By: No way

No way — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:39:54 +0000

Since when does anyone owe anyone else a “living wage?” If you don’t want to make 6 bucks an hour, then get off your arse and go get an education. These people who demand a “living wage” are the same idiots who sat in the back of the class, throwing spitballs and making fun of the teacher, getting high instead of studying, and generally acting like jerks. Those of us who studied are now “management” and have earned the right to a living wage by our hard work in the classroom. Get up off the couch and go take a class. Do something with your life. This entitlement attitude is exactly why the US is losing jobs to every imagineable overseas source… because somehow Americans think they need a big screen TV and a Cadillac Escalade in the driveway of their suburban 4-bedroom home… all because they graduated high school and simply live in America. Nobody has the God-given right to be rich. Nobody has the right to be free from poverty. If you want to make money, then get a skill that employers actually want. I can find 100 people today that can perform the jobs at the low end of my company’s pay scale, but I can’t for the life of me find in intelligent, drug-free engineer or technical person with no criminal record. So I’m willing to pay more money for an engineer than I am for a broom-pusher.

By: Shoe Fly

Shoe Fly — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 00:43:58 +0000

Northwest employees made a choice. I congratulate them for sending the message as a group, that they would rather work elsewhere than to continue to work under the pay and conditions that they consider substandard. However, once that decision is made it is incomprehensible to continue to criticize the company or any others that choose to work there. If Northwest was wrong in their thinking, the company will pay the price by either going under, or having to increase the pay and benefits to retain the replacement workers. Either way, the labor market will determine who was right.

By: grote

grote — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 16:07:04 +0000

My definition of loyalty to my employers has changed over the years. In the “new economy:, it now covers “where is my next paycheck coming from”, and beyond that it’s every man for himself. Like rats on a sinking ship, I say.

By: Bird dog

Bird dog — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:42:36 +0000

Company loyalty has always been a one way street. It always will be a one way street. A company cannot keep employees on the payroll when there is a finiancial problem with the Company. I do not side with NW, nor do I side with the employees. The fact is NW will lay off more people if they need to. I would offer to the Employees that they do not owe NW anything but a days work for a days pay. Why not start looking for another job in a less volitile area?

By: Mea

Mea — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:56:02 +0000

I find it ironic that the mailman talks about looking out for oneself in one post and yet he bashes the strikers in an earlier post for doing just that! I’m sorry mailman, maybe you are independently weatlhy but, there are people out there that NEED their 14 dollar an hour jobs. There is no shame in doing a job like that, and no loss of dignity in trying to hold onto it! Not to mention that the people who do those jobs are what make people who sit on their butts all day (and don’t even have 15 minutes to read through the information they are sending their employees) rich. I am business person too and of course I understand that sometimes companies have to make cutbacks to stay in business but, I see no excuse for treating employees in such a way especially when you have just told them they have been let go!

By: TBartel

TBartel — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:43:43 +0000

kwatt, I recommend The Millionaire Next Door. If you want financial tips, this can't be beat, unless you're tapping Warren Buffet's phone.

By: kwatt

kwatt — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 01:35:16 +0000

As for Mailman's comment, I think he is very rude. They are out working, and being a contributing citizen of the community. You may be making more than them, but it gives you no right to act as though you are better, and they are some pieces of shit who don't deserve good pay. They have familes at home that need food, and bills payed. I don't know anyone personally who worked for NWA, but NWA has been being very rude to their employees obviously.

Actually, many Northwest employees are on strike and many more soon could be. Many have also announced intentions to intentionally make travel miserable for NWA fliers. I think their situation sucks. But if you're still working at Northwest...c'mon, did you not see this coming?

Has this list of things to do been published anywhere? Some of us who actually appreciate financial tips might like to read it.

By: swiftee

swiftee — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:46:21 +0000

Well now that they have the green light, the unions can go ahead and put NWA out of it’s misery and let their members embark on their new careers.

I hear the State fair is still hiring pronto pup chef’s.