"...and private misfortunes make the public good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more everything is well."
- Voltaire, Candide, Chapter 4

This week notices were sent to 990 employees that they have been laid off; more than 3000 more to be reassigned from their present positions (in some cases, being "reassigned" is a euphemism for demotion).

This week also the presentation was made to the Board of Directors that customer satisfaction is up to 99.5% (I wonder--massaging the numbers?) and on time performance up in the 98th percentile. As employees break their backs working overtime for free, trying (unsuccessfully) to save their jobs.

The message to management is that the more they cut, the harder we will work, and our unions are unable to protect us, bellow as they will, given the current political environment. Whistleblowers know they will never, ever be promoted and will be given the worst assignments.

I would say stop working for free and let the numbers decline, to show that as employees supporting out mission are cut, we cannot perform our core tasks as well as before--but management's threat is to discipline anyone whose area of responsibility does not show the continued improvement promised to the Board a couple of years ago, and upon which top management's continued employment rests.

I'm fortunate (and very grateful) that I could retire if I had to, but my heart goes out to those who are supporting families (the spouse having been laid off already), especially with children, and being too young to retire, no other jobs available.

Management can do what it wishes with the latter, because they are trapped. And management can continue to manipulate and coerce those who need the jobs and want to be promoted, as always. Quelle dommage!