They Pay Me Just Enough

I was reading an article that appeared in Tulsa World yesterday. The article discusses AMTSociety, some of the efforts that Ken MacTiernan and Dennis Hayes have made in promoting AMTSociety, and the upcoming Aviation Industry Expo March 18-20 in Dallas, Texas. Thanks to Tulsa World staff writer D.R. Stewart for recognizing aircraft maintenance professionals. Amidst all of the praise and attention given to our craft in the article, there was a quote that stood out. An American Airlines mechanic said, "They pay me just enough not to quit, and I do just enough not to get fired." That sentence says a lot. As we are close to getting a national AMT Day resolution passed, and as we celebrate AMT Day in more than 40 U.S. states and territories, it is sad to see this attitude exists. I can't imagine Charles E. Taylor saying, "The Wright Brothers pay me just enough not to quit, and I do just enough not to get fired." In generations past workers used to get a job and retire from that same company after years of dedicated service. They would respect the company, and were proud to work there. The company treated its employees like family. Times have changed. Many companies now just treat employees as disposable assets. Employee attitudes have also changed, as witnessed in the quote in the article. Jobs are no longer a source of pride or an opportunity for long-term employment and retirement. Instead, they are a stepping stone to the next opportunity, even if it is outside the aircraft maintenance environment. Will this trend turn around? What do you think? We'd like to hear your comments. Thanks for reading, Joe Escobar