800 workers are working for free!! Google is also turning to this format.

Slavery alive and well today. At least the company will save $19 million this year.

[URL]http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/800-british-airways-staff-agree-to-work-for-free/article1198076/[/URL]

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

Though the situation is far from ideal, I wouldn't call this slavery...there was no violence or coercion involved and it seems these measure were not onyl agreed upon but some of them even proposed by the workers themselves.

Fear of job losses makes people take extreme measures, the question is where it is simple common sense to give in a bit to survive or sheer pressure and fear. The latter may technically not be slavery but could have the same effect.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

Working with no pay is slavery. Period. I understand about hard times bring drastic measures but you sound like you are spinning it as lipstick on a pig. Work with no pay is slavery. What happens when those workers loose their houses? British Airways will give them a place to stay? And feed them?HAHAHAHA

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

Not that I approve of what is happening there, but you just labeled volunteers as slaves. Nice going.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

well I believe you should get paid when you work. Don't you think you should? They aren't volunteering for the army or something. Even those guys get paid.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

[quote=runningman;766481]Working with no pay is slavery.[/quote] Actually, no it's not.

I think a key feature of slavery that you have forgotten is that [I]slaves are [U]forced[/U] to work; they have no freedom of choice in the matter[/I]. Historically, in many societies, slaves had significantly curtailed rights and often faced brutal punishment for dissent or attempted escape.

As far as I know, no one is holding a gun to these people and saying that they [U]must[/U] work for British Airways for free. They are as free as anyone else to change their employment status to the best of their abilities. Granted, there may not be other great opportunities out there for them, but we don't live in Communism with guaranteed employment, right?

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

Oh Miro employment is a way for you to get paid and can provide a life for you and your family save money and travel. They are being carrot and sticked. Work for free and keep your job. Also historically people were treated worse in the past and this is a first step back in that direction. Wouldn't you agree?

I can''t believe that people would try to justify this.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

No one is justifying it Run, but there's simply a significant difference between slavery and what is happening there. The choices may not be the coolest, but that the opt-out is a choice which doesn't equal the position they were doesn't automatically make it slavery.

I'd rather get paid for my work as well, don't get me wrong. And if acceding to a move like that, working for free for a month, I'd demand my bosses to do the same. I've been laid off because of the crisis a few months ago already, and things haven't been much better for my old company ever since. But the fucking CEO never cut his own salary, or handed in his Porsche Cayenne. If it wasn't for the deadline on my thesis i'd be filing a fucking lawsuit and sucking him dry, for being such a parasite.

So not condoning the situation here, but simply making the nuance ;-).

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

hey you never sent me your paper did you?? [email]runningman18@hotmail.com[/email]

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

because it's not finished yet, don't worry...I haven't forgotten :D.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

the bosses are doing the same just fyi.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

I'm excited!

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

I think you're overly sensationalizing this... Not everything you read on the internet is another plot by Mossad or the CIA to cause rebellion in the streets and lead to the downfall of civilization.

1. If you read that article, [I]it's only for a month[/I] in order to save costs. Apparently, BA has one foot in the grave because of the recession (they don't get Wall Street bailouts). Companies all over the world are going under and laying off people. Would you prefer that they do that instead?

2. Again, who is holding a gun to these peoples' heads and [I]forcing[/I] them to work for British Airways for free? No one; IT'S THEIR CHOICE to do so. If you don't like where you work, YOU CAN QUIT and go look for something better. There are no guarantees of what you'll find, but that's life.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

[QUOTE=chloe harris;766560]the bosses are doing the same just fyi.[/QUOTE]

good, and it makes sense, too.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

[quote=Miroslav;766569]I think you're overly sensationalizing this... Not everything you read on the internet is another plot by Mossad or the CIA to cause rebellion in the streets and lead to the downfall of civilization.

1. If you read that article, [I]it's only for a month[/I] in order to save costs. Apparently, BA has one foot in the grave because of the recession (they don't get Wall Street bailouts). Companies all over the world are going under and laying off people. Would you prefer that they do that instead?

2. Again, who is holding a gun to these peoples' heads and [I]forcing[/I] them to work for British Airways for free? No one; IT'S THEIR CHOICE to do so. If you don't like where you work, YOU CAN QUIT and go look for something better. There are no guarantees of what you'll find, but that's life.[/quote]

3. I would prefer them to fail so capitalism could work. A solid company would then take the good assets and probably re hire the good crew to ensure a smooth transition. Why are we so affraid of letting things fail?

I see what you are saying in point 2.

Also this

[URL]http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LV83872.htm[/URL] :lol::lol:

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

I would say they are forced, they don't have a lot of option in the current climate most people have mortgages, kids and bills to pay. A lot of companies are taking advantage of the current climate to exploit their workforce. Its Economic Slavery to some of the people I work with. City analysts in London also felt that BA where trying it on when the asked about BA's situation on the BBC & Channel 4 news.

My employer Honda UK Manufacturing also prevented laid off workers retraining in government schemes earlier this year. Reducing the options of employees trying to secure work somewhere else.

Re: British Airways Turns to Slavery

[quote=runningman;766610]1. I would prefer them to fail so capitalism could work. A solid company would then take the good assets and probably re hire the good crew to ensure a smooth transition. Why are we so affraid of letting things fail?[/quote] This[B] IS[/B] capitalism working. No one is bailing out British Airways, as far as I know. They are in major financial trouble, and they are dealing with that by scaling back on expenses in order to preserve cash for near term liabilities, as any capitalist business would in this situation. One of the ways they've elected to do this is to basically cut peoples' pay rather than do layoffs. Many companies do variations of this - it's called a furlough.

What's not capitalist about that? Laying a bunch of people off is not really much more compassionate.

[quote=chunky;766616]I would say they are forced, they don't have a lot of option in the current climate most people have mortgages, kids and bills to pay. A lot of companies are taking advantage of the current climate to exploit their workforce.[/quote] I understand what you mean, and I agree that basic regulations to safeguard rights in employee-employer relationships are always necessary. I'm not for sweat shops or other forms of extreme exploitation. But to some degree, what you talk of is also just the nature of the Capitalist system, right? It's always the case that people are "forced" to work to pay the bills - it's a basic social contract, unless you were fortunate enough to be born the Queen of England or win the lottery. And when times are bad, businesses do have to cut back and lay people off...and unfortunately the lower income / lower education workers tend to suffer disproportionately. I don't know of a way around it, unfortunately. We've tried Communism in different places around the world, and that hasn't seemed to work out any better.