That's a nice thought there, Tiny Tim!
I would venture to say that AA most likely will prosper, but don't expect any employee to share in it. Most of us are locked out of the sharing any of the good fortune due this company. Of course we all want AA to survive, but the company has proven itself by the way they went after our livelihoods. AA is not done by a long shot when it comes to cost cutting. Many of the folks I work with are feeling the paycut crunch as the holiday season draws near. The amount they plan to spend on gifts has reduced dramatically since last year.
And before someone else reminds me that these people are lucky to be employed, let me say this. Most people did not have a problem helping the company, but they should of at least provided for a snap back of some sort. Instead, we, union represented members that is, will have to wait until 2008 to begin to negotiate all over again. The gains that were made over decades of collective bargaining that were taken away from us with the stroke of a pen will now become bargaining chips. "You people want a raise, ok, no vacation restore, no sick time restore, etc, etc." "Oh you people want vacation back, sick days, ok, then no pay increase for you, etc etc,."
And like I just said, before you all remind me that we are lucky To have jobs, I tell you what!
Why don't we all work for another 20% less so we can have full employment!
For most employees, this has been a terrible year financially. I have seen wives having to go back to work, husbands going back to midnights so they can babysit all day long till the wife comes home from work. If they're lucky, these guys can squeeze in a few hours sleep before they have to return to work on the night shift.
I have seen homes sold, cars sold, vacations cancelled. Need I continue?
But while AA employees struggle to adapt to their newfound financial situation, we see the upper elite of the executive staff leave AA for higher compensation elsewhere. Some of these executives are the ones who put us in this situation, maybe for not adjusting to the changing industy and economy in general, who knows. But the difference is, when these people leave for other positions elsewhere, they take their golden parachutes with them. The rest of us don't have that luxury. If we quit AA or get furloughed, we usually take several steps backward in compensation and benefits.
One might ask who would hire these AA executives. My answer would be who WOULD'NT hire them? They succeeded in stripping the average worker of pay and benefits and self esteem and moralE. They essentially broke the unions at AA. So in the business management world, these formewr AA executives will prove invaluable to their firms.
For 2004, I see AA and companies in general start to go after our pensions. This is the next expense they will look to eliminate. After all, the AA executive elite don't get pensions, why should we? No, they just leave with a few million in cash, but they don't get monthly check.
So, to sum up my outlook for 2004, I see AA prospering, but not the employees.
Of course having a job is better than no job. But what good is a job when one has no self esteem and pride in that job. When it becomes all about the paycheck, which it has at American, the future becomes quite bleak.
HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL!
