sobore

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...lines-business

Northwest Airlines Corp. is apologizing to workers offended by company suggestions on how to save money that included buying jewelry at pawnshops, getting auto parts at junkyards and taking shorter showers.

The list, titled "101 Ways to Save Money," was part of a booklet for employees being laid off as Northwest reorganizes under bankruptcy protection. The Eagan, Minn.-based carrier gave out 60 of the booklets before it began getting complaints, and it cut the list from remaining copies, spokesman Roman Blahoski said Wednesday.

Efrem

This is absolutely stupid. Anyone who has ever been on either side of a layoff situation (I've been on both) knows that it's mandatory to treat those laid off with all possible respect. Somebody, no doubt somebody who wasn't losing his/her job, was utterly insensitive and should be canned for cause - along with everyone who reviewed and signed off on this.

Flaflyer

Wait till NW management figures whats good enough for employees is good enough for pax. Fire Gate Gormet, NW is dumpster diving over behind the AA concourse. And here we thought Roach Choice was just the seating nickname in Y.

sobore

I don't see what all the fuss is. NW corporate is being nice enough to let the employees know it's OK to eat out of the garbage.
There may even be tips on stealing your neighbors lawn furniture for fun and profit. Chapter two 'never be too proud to steal kids milk money' is great reading! What a generous company!

Flaflyer

Their book needs updating to reflect this weeks changes.

Tip # 102. Profit from new emerging possibilities with the black market and your position.

Use your rollaboard to smuggle bottles of high quality bottled water onto the plane, sell it for $5 or what the market will bear. For the real daring entrepreneurs in Red Tail land, those little bottles of hand lotion are 49 cents at Costco, priceless at 35,000 feet, if you get our drift. Thank TSA for creating these new profit centers.
They bought one of our overpriced tickets, what more proof do you need that every piece of SLF is stupid, has lots of money, and easily parts with it? Use it to your full advantage in these tough times. With hard work and no regard for the law, in one year you can make almost as much as your CEO makes in an hour. On your next visit to McDonalds you might afford to eat inside rather than use the Dive Through service out back. Good luck, and please don't strike.

ContinentalFan

How deeply touching.

I am surprised no one has written a book for managemet--how they could live on a lower salary!

Rapunzel1701

I'm sure the author would pick out the most egregious suggestions, but I still don't see the problem.

They've suggested:
1. Bargain Hunting
2. Recycling
3. Conservation
4. Art
5. Taking Freebies
6. Bartering
7. Tradition

I suppose if they had replaced 'Pawn Shop' and 'Junkyard' with eBay and craigslist, everything would be ok.

--Corrected, thanks.

cj001f

It was picked up by others well before the LA Times. And I'd find it offensive, just the same as a previous employer announcing an "Employee Retention Program" the same day as a layoff. Such booklets are condscending and offensive - not surprising given NWA management history.

Capite

Well it may seem condescending and it may be offensive, but do you really think the HR worker/manager who approved it was trying to be a jerk? They probably thought they were trying to help, and not kicking people when they were down. They made a mistake. But it wasn't their fault that the layoffs happened in the first place.

krug

I agree Capite.

I think something like this is much better done in a "counseling" session, rather than in an impersonal booklet.

Obviously for those used to a reasonable salary, it is somewhat demeaning to suggest all will be well by shopping at a charity shop.

But the context is important here and in the spirit of "every little helps" it may just make the difference for some of the less fortunate amongst those made jobless, who perhaps were not prepared for such a situation.

I have a very healthy income, but that does not stop me borrowing from my grandmother's frugal wartime instincts - turning off unnecessary lights, appliances, not using power-standby buttons, reducing the thermostat settings, and indeed shopping on ebay.

The spirit of the communication meant well, it was just a little outdated (pawnshop/ebay), perhaps poorly presented (booklet, rather than round table discussion) and seized upon by those who do (perhaps rightly) feel aggrieved.