This is why you should never be married to your job. Bankrupt Northwest Airlines Corp. advised workers to fish in the trash for things they like or take their dates for a walk in the woods in a move to help workers facing the ax to save money.
The No. 5 U.S. carrier, which has slashed most employees’ pay and is looking to cut jobs as it prepares to exit bankruptcy, put the tips in a booklet handed out to about 50 workers and posted for a time on its employee Web site.
The four-page booklet, “Preparing for a Financial Setback” contained suggestions such as shopping in thrift stores, taking “a date for a walk along the beach or in the woods” and not being “shy about pulling something you like out of the trash.”
In a surprise twist, I googled the pay of Northwest’s CEO, expecting to find some sort of outrage,
but it turns out:
Northwest Airlines CEO Doug Steenland took a 23.5 percent salary cut in 2005 as Detroit’s largest carrier attempts to work its way out of bankruptcy.
Steenland, 54, earned $516,333 in 2005, down from $675,000 a year earlier. He turned down a bonus of $675,000 in both years.
Still, it’s always worrisome when your employer encourages you to
be more like George Costanza.
So, since they are encouraging me to dig in the trash, if I find something trashy in the garbage, will they let me wear it to work? I mean, it was their suggestion.
ReplyDeleteAt least the CEO doesn't have some outrageous pay increase. Tha always pisses me off when that happens with struggling companies...