I spent many years working in labor relations. The talk last week about the government shutdown, and more specifically, who would and who would not be paid, struck a nerve I didn’t realize was still raw after all these years.
One of my former employers, a privately-held, family-owned organization, was having severe financial difficulties. All hourly employees were unionized.
The management team, negotiating committee, and company attorneys had spent countless hours preparing for the opening negotiating session in which wage and benefit rollbacks would be requested.
Union leaders had been alerted that the money situation was dire and that concessions were a “must do” if jobs were to be retained. “Dire” had been the mantra, repeated over and over.
The firm’s labor attorney and I had agreed to meet early that Monday morning for some last-minute prep before the 8 am session in the company’s conference room. Money was so tight, of course, that we couldn’t afford to have the negotiations offsite.
As I drove into the parking lot and to my space, I passed the parking space of the company’s owner. In it was a brand new top-of-the-line luxury vehicle. Holy crap.
His audacity was breathtaking, or his cluelessness was cruel; we never knew which it was. Or maybe it was something else.
Here we were, about to ask hundreds of employees to sacrifice for the greater good and for some measure of job security; and there sat that car, a contradictory symbol.
That car rightfully became a lightning rod during some long and very nasty negotiation sessions. I found it unbelievable that the boss/owner was that clueless. His explanation? The car deal was just too good to pass up.
Which is why the fact that the House, Senate and President would be paid in a government shutdown and military service men and women and ordinary worker bees would not, got me so riled up.
Leaders can’t claim a personal exemption from making sacrifices when the times get tough.
Especially not if they want any respect from this gal.
Ever worked for a clueless guy like this one who thought he was above the belt-tightening?
Image source: Gratisography
