If I were an AIG employee?
If I were in his shoes, what would I do? Hrmm.
Would I take the bonus? Would I go through court to enforce it if the government illegal strips away the contractual obligation?
This is a question that has been burning at me, the view of the other side of the track. Sure, it is easy for us to sit here and judge them. Yet it is our of fear and anger, and we really do need to let cool heads prevail (Iowa senators no need to apply). Here are guys who are running basically a failed company. Sure, we could deny them a bonus, but they will just leave. And few are going to be willing to go work for AIG, knowing their fate.
People tend to forget the trend with money. More money, more problems. When you make more, you generally spend more. Which makes losing that income even more painful.
These men do have a right to that money. They are people after all, most of whom probably have families that rely on that money. There are numerous people who make their living off of doing services for these men. They probably owe money for their homes and cars, etc. Now we are going to tell them “yea, we know you were told you were going to make X amount of dollars, but sorry, we decided to ignore your contract because the people are mad.”
So what would I do? Would I take it? Hell yea! But I’d probably do something a bit different. I would have them give 1/2 of my bonus to specific charities. Maybe help a few homeowners get into a better position with their home or something. But I would take it. And if I didn’t get it, I would sue.
I was reading some of the comments on the AIG outrage article on CNN. Someone commented about teachers and others not being paid in accordance with their contract either. I know all about this, my mom is a bus-driver and isn’t putting down in overtime in fear that they’ll lay her off. California is on a stiff budget shortfall, which is hurting everyone. I hate to see it, but honestly, the course of action there is a bit different. If the teachers were to sue, the state doesn’t even have enough money to pay them any settlement. California can’t just print money because it has a deficit. Plus it is a little bit of a different world with teachers versus bankers. To be a teacher is about sacrifice, you’ve dedicated your life to educating the world of tomorrow. Quitting and suing (or suing and being fired) goes against the basic grain of a teacher, because the education of children would be harmed. Sure, they could sure, not be fired, and win. Then what? Then they are using their own money to buy supplies for the classroom, if there is even one left.
Banking is a little bit different. AIG will eventually no longer exist. Maybe it will, but it will be unrecognizable. The school systems in California, or anywhere in the U.S. for the most part, is not going to go away. The personal committment to a bank is no where near as taxing as that as education, even though educators are paid a fraction of a banker. Bitter irony, I know. But the banker and the educator both have a right to stand up for their rights, to enforce others to live up to their agreements and/or abide by labor laws in effect for the protection of all Americans. The difference is for the educator, the price to fight – endangering a child’s education – is too high.
