United Airlines

United Airlines is using its bankruptcy protection to justify screwing its long term employees out of their pensions. Why should a 'bankrupt' company be allowed to continue in business? When a company declares bankruptcy, it continues, pretty much as usual.

It comes as a surprise, then, (or maybe I should say it shouldn't) that United's CEO, Glenn F. Tilton, was given a $366,000 bonus while he's telling his longtime loyal employees, who signed on under the agreement that in exchange for years of service, they will be given a pension. Not a pension that HE'LL be given, but one where they can at least, (hopefully) they can retire on.

Ironically, just a few weeks ago, the Bush Administration passed a Bankruptcy Law telling us that we if we borrow money from a creditor (credit card company) we should be responsible and own up to our commitments. Not so for big business, however. Now the SHAME is on the other foot.

Another item from todays news makes me want to sqeal. It concerns FEMA and the payouts that went to Miami-Dade county for damage from last year's hurricanes. Miami-Dade was hardly touched at all from the hurricanes, but some homeowners applied and got $19,000 to replace appliances that were not damaged at all. Imagine, 19K to buy a set of washer and dryers. Meanwhile, some of the hardest parts of the state, where homes and firehouses were TOTALLY destroyed, people are still waiting. Who the hell is in charge of determining who gets what? Where are these peoples brains, sensitivity and sense of fairness? These are the people who should lose their jobs! (And their pensions!).