Airlines' execs need golden rule
The Collegian Opinion

   Months of waiting by American Airlines employees ended last week when it was announced 23 percent of the airline's payroll must be eliminated for the company to survive.

   Airline executives presented the $1.8 billion plan to the labor unions.

   As part of the cut, pilots would give up $660 million; flight attendants, $340 million; mechanics and ground workers, $620 million; reservation agents, $80 million, and management and support staff would be forced to eliminate $100 million in labor expenses.

   This announcement comes about a month after the major airlines were denied another round of bail-out money from the government.

   One government official told the petitioning airlines that if they could not compete in a competitive market, such as the airline industry, that was "just too bad."

   The responsibility of the company's being mismanaged once again falls on the employees who have nothing to do with it. This burden on employees is unacceptable.

   The executives making this plea to the unions are the same executives who do not think twice about accepting their football stadium-sized salaries and their bonuses large enough to feed an entire west African country.

   This proposal is a slap in the face to the employees of American Airlines. Inarguably the airline industry as a whole is still hurting after the Sept. 11 ripple effect.

   However, American has used previous money given from the government to further overseas investments ... not exactly a business-saving venture in the opinion of most.

   Meanwhile, competitors of American are coming up with ways to eliminate their costs, none of which have been drastic pay cuts for so many employees.

   American employee unions face a difficult future. Thousands of employees might become victims of downsizing. And when that happens, they should be furious.

   The proposed monetary reduction is not what should be done to save the airline. These workers will make a huge sacrifice just to save their jobs.

   The reduction must start at the top with the CEO of American and dwindle through to other top executives.

   A need for $1.8 billion apparently exists to save the failing airline. The top executives combined receive approximately $40 million in bonuses each year.

   That is a good start. Now as far as salary is concerned, a 50 percent reduction in salary for these executives is not an unreasonable request. If they make $8 million a year, drop that down to four, and we have approximately another $100 million.

   Now, for this year, we already have $140 million just in these few cuts from the top few executives.

   Now, if there is any complaining by these fearless airline leaders, they are asking too much from the rest of the employees.

   A little lesson in treating others the way one would want to be treated is in store.