Help the poor needy fortune 500 company

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 3:27 pm

As you know, the recent rise in fuel prices has hit everyone to one degree or another. It has hit the airlines particularly hard. So hard in fact, some airlines are starting to find very creative ways of dealing with the negative impact these price increases are having on their bottom lines.

Up until this past June, I worked as an engineer for a Delta Air Lines. One of my friends still with the company sent me this today. As you read it, keep in mind that every non-union employee (thatâ??s everyone except the pilots) of the company took a 10% pay cut on January 1st 2005.

I am all for employees rolling up their sleeves â?? so to speak â?? and pitching in to help a company they believe in when the going gets rough. But I think this is going too far.

September 9, 2005

The Executive Board of the Delta Pioneers has voted to establish a fund through the Delta Employees Credit Union that will be used only for fuel. Anyone may make a donation of any amount. Deductions from pensions, paychecks, savings and checking may be set up through the DECU. Individual donations also are welcome. Checks should be payable to the Delta Pioneers Inc. Fuel Fund and mailed to Delta Pioneers Inc. Fuel Fund; c/o Delta Employees Credit Union Post Office Box 20541; Account # xxxxxxxxx; Atlanta, Ga. 30320-2541. Please do not send donations to the office of the Delta Pioneers. Donations to this fund are not tax deductible.

My question to you is how much is too much?

Even though this is a voluntary thing and not presented by management, but by a fraternal organization of current and former employees my personal feelings are that this has crossed the line.

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:00 pm

I see nothing wrong with it if it is voluntary.

will_kill · Post by **will_kill** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:30 pm

I see "current and former employees" gettin' kickbacks

I agree with you Ded', the ownership/management should have halted that at the first signs of its birth.

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:33 pm

IIRC The ownership is the employees (employee owned company) ... It serves their own interest to do this.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:39 pm

Gooberman wrote:I see nothing wrong with it if it is voluntary.

You would not be offended if the company you worked for cut your pay by 10% then 8 months later asked you to help pay for the office supplies out of what remains of your salary?

will_kill wrote:I see "current and former employees" gettin' kickbacks :wink

more like a kickintheass.

Iceman wrote:IIRC The ownership is the employees (employee owned company) ... It serves their own interest to do this.

Delta is not an employee owned company. You are thinking of United, and they aren't anymore either.

will_kill · Post by **will_kill** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:44 pm

Dedman wrote:
will_kill wrote:I see "current and former employees" gettin' kickbacks
more like a kickintheass.

Iceman wrote:IIRC The ownership is the employees (employee owned company) ... It serves their own interest to do this.

Dedman wrote:Delta is not an employee owned company. You are thinking of United, and they aren't anymore either.

...that's what I thought

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:58 am

You would not be offended if the company you worked for cut your pay by 10% then 8 months later asked you to help pay for the office supplies out of what remains of your salary?

No. Perhaps it's because I already view most companies as souless black holes that only seek out what is in their own best interest. It doesn't offend me or surprise me, because I don't expect any better.

They asked, the employees should say 'no'.

Sergeant Thorne · Post by **Sergeant Thorne** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:35 am

I agree with Dedman and Gooberman. I think it is crossing the line. It really isn't in an employee's interest to contribute money to keep a business going so that it can continue to pay them less. Unless there's some extenuating factor, I think any smart employee would say 'no'. Personally, I would probably view it as "the writing on the wall", and begin searching for new employment, if I were in their position. A company desparate enough to make that kind of call may not have the fortitude and determination to succeed anymore.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:20 pm

Do the employees every see a bonus when the company makles profit? NO. Does the company hand out bonuses when they have massive profits? NO. Employees are taken advantage of at every possible corner. Does your yearly raise cover the yearly inflation for everything you buy? Doubt it. Mine only covers my rent increase and nothing else. I'd say fack em. How bout the higher ups take 40% pay cut instead?

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:24 pm

Hmmm. It's interesting isn't it? Perhaps Delta is a fantastic employer with great management, and a real "family feel"?

There could well be some good reasons to help keep your company afloat too: gas prices are predicted to put some airlines out of business. Those which survive the coming airline crunch may find themselves in a position where the company can make large increases in market share in the medium to long term.

It's in an employee's best interest to keep their job, and to help keep the airline flying.

I would think (read as "hope"!) that an airline saved by the generous support of the employees isn't one which is likely to abandon their supporters, or not return some of the net profits to its employees.

Obviously it's a totally personal decision - but then again - how much is **your** job worth?

3 years ago, my company lost the one and only contract which kept this office open. Everyone was given redundancy notices, and the others started abandoning ship with a week. I just quietly kept on coming to work, and after a while there was only three of us left (out of 25) and I had quite literally, made myself indispensible just by the mere fact of being the last non-management person here!

My redundancy came into effect, and I just kept coming to work (at a 20% pay cut I might add) like normal, without a contract. I guess strictly speaking I didn't even have a job, but they kept paying me for some reason (albeit somewhat late at times - at one point I was owed 11 weeks salary!) so I kept on coming.

8 months later, things were pretty well sorted, and we were hiring again, and I signed another contract, and wrung a very generous bonus **and** pay rise out of the firm.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 4:12 pm

Air Canada was told by the Gov't that they couldn't let any employees go for 2 yrs after they were bailed out by the Gov't. The instant that 2 years was up, guess how many lost their jobs? Tons. So don't tell me that cutting your paycheck to help save the company that it will revist you in the future. It won't. Share holders and top execs are to fracken greedy and don't give 2 shats about the lower person because you'll have a heck of a harder time finding another job but the execs won't and they also have how many millions in the bank of which you don't have.

Let the airline go tits up. Then another will take it's place. Trust me.