Apr. 20, 2003 - 21:16 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Ditto, Same O

We attended a wonderful family gathering today, Easter dinner and schmoozing, on a spacious back deck under a warm sunny sky. If a list of wants had been previously requested it seems that every item on it would have been given an okay check.

Its evening now. Answered a group of e-mail and sat back to read a bit of the news.

I have never seen one and have no idea on beauty hints for one, but this article describing a present situation fits I think what they call, "A pretty kettle of fish." An artical by David Koenig of the Associated Press in todays Denver Post (4/20/03) titled, "Union revokes pay cuts to protest airline perks."

There are claims and counter claims, blames and counter blames between American Airlines and a flight attendants union.

They voted to accept a wage cut of ten million dollars over the next six years. American had stressed they needed the cuts to avoid bankruptcy.

Quote, "Enraged by the recent revelation that the airline planned to give bonuses to top executives, the union said late Friday it would schedule a new vote on the concessions."

"Leaders of unions representing pilots and ground workers also complained about the bonuses along with the company's decision to partially fund supplementary pensions for 45 top executives." Now get this, "The pensions would be protected even if American files for bankruptcy."So, "The unions called those moves inappropriate at a time when the airline was asking employees to ratify paycuts of 15.6 percent to 23 percent." "American said it would not rescind the added pensions, which it said were "Necessary to keep senior executives."

Now just why the heck would anyone want to keep senior executives that are not doing the job they are being paid for ?

I guess because I have been a working stiff all my life it seems to me that this whole deal smacks of criminal, unethical philosophy. Why in the hell should the top dogs get any kind of bonus when the company is on the verge of bankruptcy ? And pensions on top of pensions ? Geez, do these birds even deserve any kind of pension ? They have been making bucks out the ying yang for years. Even if the top dogs turn down the bonuses, the proposed largess by the company tends to give me the idea of what line the company is trying to follow. Reminds me of some of the rich birds who are retired and drawing Social Security even though they served their time in the military, worked high paying jobs after they retired, got a pension from the military, possibly one from the company and are millionaires in their own right to begin with.

Every time I mention something about the, "Rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer," someone will scream that I am a radical, damnfool liberal. They try to make a four letter word out of 'liberal' too.

How I was raised was that, "Wages are what you get for a job well done, on time, cheerfully." And, "Bonuses are given for outstanding accomplishments for the company." To me that is just plain common sense.

So why do these dudes demand and receive astronomical salaries, stock options (oops, stocks aren't worth a damn now), bonuses and additional pensions when all they do is sit at their desk and allow the company go down the tube and some of them profit from their good old insider profit taking just before their company disappears off the face of the earth ?

Somewhat like the Ever-ready Bunny, but instead of just going and going they keep taking and taking. Looks like a heavy dose of Ditto, Same O . . . . . . . . .

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