Originally Posted by
workingdad
I get frustrated with the whole ..... (insert occupation here) are underpaid. So many industries and occupations have exceptionally skilled staff and responsibilities that could be linked to protecting life, motor mechanics for one, we drive a lot more than we fly and many more killed on the roads than in the air. Paramedics currently on a uniform strike, if you ever get hurt or sick, have a heart attack or other emergency your life is in the hands of someone on a starting salary of not much more than $50,000 p/a. The top of the tree intensive care paramedics get $80,000 odd a year, these people keep you alive when someone else crosses the centre line hitting your car with your kids in it, they work weekends, nights and stressful jobs in their own way, nurses, teachers the list goes on, how successful would our children be without good teachers? Support services of lower qualified people, they all have an important role to fill as I cant imagine the upper middle class rolling up their sleeves. What's more important, the engineer servicing an engine or the people putting the technical advice out telling them how to do it? The pilots flying the plane or the people putting the fuel in, testing the fuel, making it the right way? All cogs in the wheel.
There is so much more to things than we know, everyone is worth their salt and over the years company greed, CEO greed and the old boys club has continued to find new heights in so many businesses. France is a good example where people are kicking back, I look at my children and wonder what will be left of society as it creeps even further. When I had shares in AIR I was impressed with the bonuses when good profits were made, they could have even gone further and as a shareholder it didn't bother me one bit if it reduced my piece of the pie. I don't think the union went about it the right way, Christmas and families holidays is not a bargaining chip and I wouldn't hire the bright spark who's idea it was as management wont forget and at the end of the day they make the decisions that effect the futures of said engineers and my thoughts are they deserve more remuneration but regardless of the merits that strike action was a step too far given the potential collateral damage.