Cathay Pacific Airways tried to cut costs by granting workers a 2% raise plus a bonus equal to one month's salary. But the Flight Attendants Union wanted a 5% raise, so they ordered members to quit smiling at customers.
Yeah, that's pretty funny. But there was to be more than just no-smiles, they also planned to "work-to-rule." That's union parlance for a work-slowdown by not doing anything more than the minimum required by the work contract. Never mind that the company was operating at a loss. Source and excerpt:
"This could include not smiling at passengers, not providing certain types of beverages - such as alcohol - or stop serving meals," he said. ... "In a nutshell it means passengers will still be able to reach their destinations except they are paying a five-star price to get a three-star service," [union secretary] Tsang said.
Via.
The surprise to most of us is that union members were doing more than the minimum anyway. But this is far away Chinese Hong Kong, so there may be some cultural differences.
As for an American application, maybe those union thugs who were beating up people in Michigan the other day can take a lesson, turn it down a few notches, and punish their political opponents by not smiling at them. They still wouldn't get their way, but they might serve their cause a little better.
I would love to re post this entry on my own website will that be okay
Posted by: BIlly | March 07, 2013 at 04:46 AM
Sure, Billy. Just be sure to acknowledge where you got it.
Posted by: Geo | March 10, 2013 at 03:59 PM