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SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

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Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#241

Post by richbell »

refurb wrote: post #240
richbell wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is kind of a bizarre article that tries to view the world through some sort of class struggle. What exactly is bizarre about it? The world is a class struggle.

Only if you view the world as a first year poly sci major with a penchant for Marx. The world is way more complex than just "class".

> Only if you view the world as a first year poly sci major with a penchant for Marx

> The world is way more complex than just "class".

You don't have to be a Marxist to recognize that class is one of the most important characteristics of our society. A black woman living in poverty has far more in common with a white man living in poverty than an upper-class Ivy-league educated black man. People are systemically exploited and robbed of the value they create and deserve. Some of the hardest working people, who provide essential services, struggle to stay afloat.

I am by no means a Marxist or Communist, I just grew up under the poverty line and recognize how fortunate I have been in my life compared to many other people. I'd encourage you to reflect on your own fortune and have more empathy for those who are less fortunate.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#242

Post by Eisenstein »

shipman05 wrote: post #223
StillBored wrote: post #139

I got stuck in this, and saw a new low while waiting in DCA with respect to QR code based menus. All the service bars in the first terminal have ipad style devices in front of the seats displaying a QR code. The expectation is that you scan the QR code off the ipad, and order using your phone/etc! Then pay with the ipad, which actually pissed me off more than sitting in the terminal for 8 hours while my flight was de…

Newark is full of those horrific ipad stations. If they were only used for orders, that would be one thing (still a bad experience), but the fact that every seat at every bar and table has these things flashing bright and distracting ads throughout your meal is just dystopian. The cherry on top was when I walked to one of the self-checkout stores, grabbed a bag of chips, scanned it myself, and was then prompted for a…

> and was then prompted for a tip....at a self-service kiosk

That is called 'cash back', isn't it?

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#243

Post by richbell »

Eisenstein wrote: post #100
version_five wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think the executives care about your letter? Stop going to the place that treats you badly, and if possible write an honest critical review of them. This is not perfect, but it has more hope of getting attention than a letter to an executive who almost certainly won't even see it. For better or worse, people vote with their wallets. There are lots of low cost versions of things I would never even consider (and…

I do think that some do. A well written, polite, short letter expressing a issue and how it is detrimental to an organization and how it impacts customers would be welcome by any competent executive or manager. If they don't want that knowledge, then I am sure that is common, but it is not ubiquitous.

One of the most soulless companies in Canada has a special department you can contact for any complaints or questions and they will do everything in their power to make things right or answer your questions in a timely manner. The trick is that it's not well-known and not accessible through their normal abysmal customer service channels.

There are absolutely people that care in many organizations, if you can find them. Usually searching for "ombudsman" or "corporate secretary" will lead you in the right direction.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#244

Post by Eisenstein »

SnowHill9902 wrote: post #142
adriancr wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

last time i tried that i got a 'please repeat' a couple times and call closed. On the other hand, calling a bank and saying you'd like to report fraud to the prompt directs you really fast to customer support.

If you don’t really have a fraud case to report, you are actually reporting fraud on yourself. Think about it.

When someone picks up you can plead the 5th.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#245

Post by stemlord »

ikr678 wrote: post #126
stemlord wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>There have been restaurants have tried non-tipping models, You mean like most restaurants in europe? Yes the service there is on average worse than in American restaurants because of tips, but in my opinion not by enough of a margin to cost me 20% every time. The times that you would tip at a eu restaurant, its something reasonable well below the ridiculous 20% average that American businesses have swindled into exi…

The definition of 'good' and 'bad' table service is also very cultural. I am from a non-tipping country and I find American style table waiting very overbearing, bottomless refills are not a thing here (except table water). I dont want to make small talk with the waiter, I'm there to eat with my party.

Yeah the only way waiting is better when staff is incentivised by tips is checking-in/getting their attention (for a refill or whatever)

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#246

Post by shagie »

A_Duck wrote: post #92

The most passive aggressive solution here — instead of getting annoyed at the customer services person, look up a union they can join and explain the benefits. They literally aren't allowed to hang up on you!

They are already part of a union.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/southwest...

> WASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) customer service employees overwhelmingly ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement that includes an immediate 13.1% wage increase, the IAM union said on Thursday.

> The agreement covers 8,300 customer representatives and service agents and includes a 25.1% general wage increase over four years, which IAM said will put its members at the top of the airline industry’s pay scale for customer service employees.

> The labor deal also includes other benefits such as higher bonuses and improved mandatory overtime protections for all employees.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#247

Post by akudha »

Eisenstein wrote: post #35

> Southwest Airlines ticketing agents, cashiers at Nando’s Chicken, low-wage call center workers for Verizon overseas, become corporate sin eaters This is why it is a good idea to be nice to the people you deal with on the front lines, and write a very politely worded letter to the head of the department at the company you are dealing with, and potentially letters to their boss, and their boss, etc. Mail it, if possi…

It depends on the importance of the business. Hospital mistreating the patients? Sure, escalate it. Try to get it fixed, as politely as possible.

Local Dunkin behaving badly (my recent experience)? Just stop giving them my business. I can make my own coffee. I can also stop drinking coffee altogether. I don’t need them, and they demonstrated they don’t need me either.

There is too much bad behavior around - it is not worth one’s time and energy trying to fix them all

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#248

Post by wnevets »

refurb wrote: post #239
wnevets wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We’d get $10/hr plus tips, which could work out to $30/hr on average. in which city? I would never describe making $62k a year in NYC as being paid well.

Think large Mid-west city where you can rent a 1 bed for under $1k. There is a reason why so many people work jobs that pay tips when apparently HN thinks a flat hourly rate is better. In NYC I've heard it's not unusual to get $80-100k at a higher-end place under a tips model.

> Think large Mid-west city where you can rent a 1 bed for under $1k.

Which one.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#249

Post by jamie_ca »

jkmcf wrote: post #235
WalterBright wrote: post #157

The article complains about automation replacing workers. This complaint goes back to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, but automation has enabled us to sit in warm houses and watch Netflix all day rather than spending every day picking bugs off of our crops. The other thing it complains about is cutting costs. Well, Southwest has the cheapest air fares. You don't get top flight customer service when you bu…

My family has been flying SW almost exclusively for 10 years and this Christmas was the first problem we’ve encountered. Something definitely changed with the new CEO because the usually happy workers were much less so. For instance, they used to have somewhat unique and entertaining scripts for the flight education before takeoff, but for the past few years they stick to the boring version the other airlines deliver…

There was a Reddit post two days back from a SWA pilot that covers some of that - https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthwestAirlines/comments/zxg6op/t...

The summary is that Herb Kelleher (CEO until 2004) was operations-focused, he was replaced by Gary Kelly who had a finance background and appointed as COO someone with a similar background. Kelly retired early 2022 and was replaced by Bob Jordan, getting back to an operations focused leader. Alas, the operational neglect of Kelly's tenure wasn't quickly overcome.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#250

Post by kova12 »

standardUser wrote: post #146
kova12 wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In many places low wage workers commute into HCOL areas. Being able to live in Manhattan on waiter's earnings is wishful thinking. Waiters are dime a dozen, and it's ridiculous to suggest they could possibly be making enough to live with mega high earners

> Being able to live in Manhattan on waiter's earnings is wishful thinking. That's factually untrue and kind of an absurd statement. Of course people live in Manhattan working as servers.

Solely on the salary of a server?
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