The Big 3 CEO's fly to Washington DC on private corporate jets and what do they get-Congressional shame. What do the CEO's get? Well, at Ford they get to fire their whole Air Transportation group--that's right, 40 full-time employees get shown the door and probably the same will happen to the GM employees.
So, how did this go down? We all know the CEO's flew to Washington DC out of ignorance or arrogance to the perception from Congress and the public.
Congress understood the public perception and began to grandstand on the issue.
This was done by both Democrats and Republicans. This was then covered in the news media ad nauseum.
The result--at Ford at least, while CEO Alan Mulally got it right this time and drove a Ford Escape Hybrid to Washington DC with Ford's gameplan, all the Ford Air Transportation employees were shown the door--40 in all.
So, 40 employees--some making only $10 an hour, some pilots--out of a job. But, I highly doubt this will stop Alan Mulally or other auto executives from flying private corporate jets.
Chrysler got rid of their jets a while ago and still fly private corporate jets. Allegedly, Ford and GM kept theirs because it was cheaper and the jets were available at a moments notice.
They got rid of their corporate jets (which they will sell at firesale prices). But, that doesn't mean they won't continue to fly private corporate jets. I know it makes people feel good. I am pretty sure the 40 Ford employees who were fired yesterday don't feel too good about it. And when the GM firings come, they probably won't be too happy about it either.
I am just wondering, is there some victory in this?