AND THE KNEES BUCKLED AND STAYED BENT

Tomorrow United’s Machinist union, which includes customer contact employees like Reservationists, will be voting on accepting United’s most recent offer. Actually, I shouldn’t use the word offer since it implies a mutually beneficial agreement – it isn’t. Let me rephrase. They will be deciding on whether they will take another round of cuts. Most likely they will vote begrudgingly to take the cuts, wage and benefits, work rules, and vacation and holidays.

Yes, CEO Glenn Tilton still has a guaranteed retirement package of 4.5 Million and still gets bonuses and still makes up to ten times what his employees make. And through all of this United is still in bankruptcy and keeps pushing back the estimated time of rising from bankruptcy. While Glenn Tilton has the security of a guaranteed pension and severance package United employees still don’t know what is around the next corner – they are not free from layoffs or liquidation, or for that matter more cuts.

I keep thinking that United employees suffer from battered worker syndrome. They keep being made to feel they aren’t good enough, important enough or worthy of attention. They keep being beaten and are made to feel that they deserve it and should keep taking the abuse. They are made to feel that yes they should sacrifice while their management does not make serious sacrifices. Again, United workers have proven that they can work harder and harder for less and less but United’s CEO and management fail miserably at getting their job done.

Can
I
Please
Get
Up
Now
?