Horizon Christmas Bonus

[dashtrash]

The following can be found on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=25&item=3770539257&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
You are bidding on my Christmas Bonus!


I am an Aircraft Mechanic, and the company I work for, Horizon Airlines, has blessed me this year with a wonderful Collectable coffee mug. It is made of Fine China. I know this to be true, because when I turn it over, it says china, in fine letters. It is adorned with printed images celebrating our sacrifices to the Company, thanking us for our hard work at the Company, and even takes credit for our skill and knowledge.



It comes with 1 piece of chocolate candy wrapped in golden foil. The cup originally came with 5 pieces of chocolate candy wrapped in golden foil, but my kids ate 4 pieces before I could stop them. I know this diminishes the overall value of this excellent Christmas gift. However, the included unopened chocolate covered graham cracker cookie certainly overshadows the loss of the 4 golden foil wrapped chocolate candies. The Crowning Glory of this Testament to the Spirit of Giving is the tea bag. Yes folks, Horizon Air pulled out all the stops when they ensured we had something to actually drink from the cup of Fine China.



One single teabag. The movie Christmas Vacation was based around the fact that Ed Griswold only received a "Jelly of the Month" club membership from his boss. I got a teabag.



You see, when a Company like Horizon Air makes a little less than a BILLION dollars a year in revenue, we understand that a ham, turkey, or even a 7-11 gift certificate could potentially wipe out a Director or VP Holiday bonus, resulting in Christmas Tree Chaos. Therefore we do without. Year after year we are snubbed with $5 Blockbuster gift cards, to unsellable, poorly written, meaningless books about the Airline itself. The Mechanics at Horizon Air have had no raises in years, but thankfully the raises and bonuses never end for our upper management. The Spirit of Giving lives on at Horizon Air, except for those that make the airline great.



In the mean time, my kids want a Playstation 2 from Santa. I thought they could make up a clever sign, stand near a Freeway on ramp, and hold out the fine china cup to be filled with the Spirit of Christmas by total strangers. But there was someone already there, so I decided to sell this priceless Fine China cup to the highest bidder.



Before I forget, there is also a generic card thanking us for something (I was so overwhelmed with the Joy of Giving I couldn’t read it) signed by the very upper management personnel that got their bonuses and raises yet made no sacrifice at all. You will also get hours of enjoyment through out the years hand washing this Fine China, because it is not dishwasher safe. You may also display this unusual piece of art for viewing each and every night, due to the fact that direct sunlight will damage and fade the intricate cut and paste designs embossed on this Fine China, it should not see the light of day. I will ship this wonderful piece of Fine China in UV protected packing material to ensure no sunlight damage occurs.



Let the bidding begin

 

[Palerider957]

.....last year at ASA we got two stale-ass cookies, in a pretty cardboard box.

Why do companies do crap like this??? It would be better if they did nothing at all, and simply ignored the holidays, then to give us rediculous and insulting gifts.

 

[dashtrash]

My expectations were so low that I was actually shocked to get a cup. We got a worthless $5 Ballbuster Video Card last year. It would not even pay for one movie.

 

[slowto250]

Dashman, you're killing me. If you ever lose your A&P, you could find a very lucrative career writing advertising copy. I do a lot of Ebay trading, and I am betting that your item sells for at least your asking price. You should have posted a "Buy it now" price though. That way when one of your golden parachute equipped executives sees it, they could hit the "Buy it now" button, and get it off the auction site to avoid further embarrassment. Good luck with the sale !!

 

[dashtrash]

I wish I could take credit for this item. I just drive the airplane.

 

[slowto250]

Thanks for the link

Well, at least you still work with some guys that have not lost their sense of humor. That's most of the battle IMO, when faced with the anti-labor management bloodsuckers that seem to be everywhere these days. One of the ivy league schools (can't remember which) even teaches a class in it's business school, called something like, "effective labor/management negotiations". How many laborers you reckon they grajiate ???!!!

 

[rightrudder]

Back in the day, I remember getting a $50 gift certificate for Eddie Bauer and one year a cert for a nights stay at a Marriott (like I want to stay in hotels on my days off anyhow!). Sounds like things have gone downhill since George was moved along.

 

[LearLove]

From US Airways:


X-mas 1999: Tin of cookies
X-mas 2000: Block of cheese
X-mas 2001: nothing
X-mas 2002: nothing
X-mas 2003: nothing
X-mas 2004: still waiting...............

Well anyway I'm just happy the place is still here.

 

[FlyComAirJets]

Ham. We got a ham.

 

[Frisko]

Looks like you made the paper.....



Horizon Air worker vents on eBay
Full story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002128266_mug23.html

By Melissa Allison
Seattle Times business reporter



Turning a token of corporate gratitude into a symbol of disgruntlement, a
Horizon Air worker is auctioning on eBay a mug the company gave him last week.

Painted with the words "Thanks for all your hard work in 2004," the mug and its
contents were not thanks enough for the mechanic trying to sell it anonymously
at a starting bid of $100.

"The mechanics at Horizon Air have had no raises in years, but thankfully the
raises and bonuses never end for our upper management," the seller writes
sarcastically in a diatribe accompanying a photo of the mug on eBay.

Alaska Air Group, which runs the regional airline as well as Alaska Airlines,
recently granted its top executives restricted stock units that vest in November
2007 and would be worth about $1.5 million based on yesterday's closing share
price of $32.30. Jeff Pinneo, who runs Horizon, received restricted stock units
worth $157,301 by that measure.

In an effort to cut costs by more than $300 million, Alaska Air Group has
announced the layoff of hundreds of workers. Mechanics at Horizon, among the
lowest-paid in the industry, have been in contract talks with the airline for
nearly two years, including mediation since August.

"[M]y kids want a PlayStation 2 from Santa," the mechanic writes on eBay. "I
thought they could make up a clever sign, stand near a Freeway on ramp, and hold
out the fine china cup to be filled with the Spirit of Christmas by total
strangers. But there was someone already there, so I decided to sell this
priceless Fine China cup to the highest bidder."

The mechanic is certain that the mug, which he tagged online as "Horizon Air
Collectable Fine China, My Christmas Bonus," is indeed fine china, he writes,
"because when I turn it over, it says china, in fine letters."

"It's hilarious," Eric Weeks, president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal
Association Local 14 in Seattle, said of the posting. "It summarizes in a very
succinct way the feeling of the value that the technicians' company places on
them."

One of the two people bidding for the mug yesterday afternoon was someone
calling himself "mrjeffpinneo."

McSkimming said the bidder is not the Jeff Pinneo who runs Horizon Air.

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or [email protected]

 

[crzepilot]

DASHTRASH I give you much respect...I think that it is a great point that has been made. Thanks for making me smile this holiday season and keeping the planes safe.

 

[Truckdriver]

Two years ago at XJT we got a $1 off coupon to Gordon's Galley. (Gordon Bethune's employee cafeteria in Houston).

 

[Truckdriver]

Holy S**#, he's up to $345 bucks on that freaking mug!!!!

 

[Longhorn]

I got a Christmas card from the company ...um I mean holiday card (sorry for those offended....LOL) saying "Happy Holidays BRAIN" Um its Brian. 6 years and cant get my first name correct......

 

[av8tor4239]

HEY Brain, thanks for the LAugh.. that is some funny sh!znit