Communication Overtones Comments
Ouch! This wasn't tactical error; it was sheer incompetence.
Allan
And how much the CEO award himself (presuming it's a "he") in bonuses, stock options and compensation?
The sad thing is, the person who commissioned the piece probably got a promotion and a reputation as an up and coming star...
Ed
Allan; Of course you are right, this was indeed incompetence.
Ed:
The article says that the the CEO Doug Parker gave raises to management and cashed in approximately nine million in stock options, and issued the following statement:
"The past year has been more challenging and more successful than many of us anticipated going into the US Airways/America West merger. Today, we are on track for a profitable 2006, even with transition-related expense and with continued high fuel costs and that is good news...I'm delighted that we're in a position to offer increases."
According to the union US Airways flight attendants gave over $154 million per year in contract concessions, including the forced termination of pensions to assist with the merger.
Me again, this is where public relations can really make a difference if it rises above the tactical and has enough balls to stand up to management and say, no, not now. However, this group only managed to get out a higly offensive tactical product - it shines a light squrely on the culture there.
I was going to fly off the handle here on your blog Kami.
But I composed myself and did it on my blog instead.
I can't tell you how much this crap infuriates me. What a stupid move.
What's worst is the crappy perfunctory quote they offered as a condolence.
Kami, this list reads like a spoof or lampoon. It's unbelievable that anyone with even one living brain cell could have thought including the list was appropriate. I hope the writers are joining their former colleagues on the dole.
Sherrilynne: it is indeed "out there." If I had stumbled on this list, I might have thought they were a spoof too. The subcontractor that wrote them, who claims to be an "expert" in the field of its website, clearly isn't all that expert to include such a list. I found some other money-saving lists out there, one on About.com, that are pretty helpful. This one is just irritating. And anyway, the messenger is not right for delivering the message.
Note: If you are a company that needs to layoff emoloyes, give re-employment assistance, give resources, but stay away from offering "advice."
Wow - that is a fresh kind of stupid. All they accomplished with that list was to infuriate people who are already going through life changing circumstances.
I must admit i am not at all surprise by what Northwest CEO has done, non of should be because companies have been doing this for years, and will continue to lay off hard working middle class men and women that have families to support in order to put more money into their greedy fat pockets. However there has to be a way for employees to be protected from this, because now in days it is bound to happen anywhere.
It is hard for me to imagine something as inconsiderate as this "money-saving" tip list being overlooked by Northwest before distributing the booklets to their laid off employees. I am a college student and it is scary to think that this is the professional world that I am about to encounter. There is no excuse for such carelessness and disregard toward employees, especially after you have just laid them off.
Courtnay; Indeed, it is a reality that jobs are no longer safe, and that corporate executives will have to address the wide descrepancy in pay.
Stephanie; Sometimes mistakes are made, even really stupid ones. The character of a company is measured by more than just one mistake, but by a series of actions over time. Unfortuately, NW Airlines track record isn't looking so hot right now.
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