USAIR (CWA) agents in Admirals Clubs

[eolesen]

I'm sure some people consider retirees a stakeholder, but it's not a universal view. More correctly, they're a beneficiary and an obligation (or more cynically, an ongoing liability).

A stakeholder is someone who contributes something to the company, and receives something in return. They also have the ability to directly influence how a company performs, and always have the ability to separate themselves.

An employee is a stakeholder -- they provide labor in exchange for wages, can influence service and costs, and they can quit if they're unsatisfied.

A customer is a stakeholder -- they provide money in exchange for services or product, they influence revenues, and can take their business elsewhere if they're unsatisfied.

A supplier is a stakeholder -- they provide services or a product in exchange for money, they can influence costs, and can exit or refuse to renew a contract if they're unsatisfied.

A shareholder is a stakeholder -- they provide equity in exchange for partial ownership, influence governance, and can seek new management or sell their ownership stake if they're unsatisfied.

A retiree doesn't provide anything beyond the service they've already been compensated for. They don't influence service, costs, or revenues. They also never leave until they die (I've yet to hear someone give up their retirement after retiring...)

 

[WorldTraveler]

I'm sure some people consider retirees a stakeholder, but it's not a universal view.

and yet since neither is a universal view, there obviously is room to believe that they can help.

but tell me, why are so many retirees involved in aviation chat boards? because they are still invested in the company they worked for.

And there are people who have left, have far less financial connection, and they still participate - and feel a need to tout the virtues of "their" company.

More correctly, they're a beneficiary and an obligation (or more cynically, an ongoing liability).

and, plz don't forget that there are a lot of mgmt. camps that view employees as no different than the liabilities that you just described and there are employees who are willing to give only as much as they have to in order to keep the paycheck coming; whether the company benefits or not is far from a goal.

 

[eolesen]

but tell me, why are so many retirees involved in aviation chat boards? because they are still invested in the company they worked for.

Maybe it's because they're still emotionally invested, or perhaps have trouble letting go of where they spent the majority of their adult life? I know people who are divorced that still talk as though they were still in the marriage.

That said, an emotional investment isn't anywhere close to the same level as the investment other stakeholders.

If the company disappears overnight, the level of impact on real retirees is far less (many seeing zero impact if they're under the PBGC cap and on Medicare) than it would be for the other stakeholders.

I know my pension will be there and paid in full, regardless if the company is still around. So do most retirees.
 

and, plz don't forget that there are a lot of mgmt. camps that view employees as no different than the liabilities that you just described

I think you're dead wrong there. It may be a popular union meme, but my experience is there are very few people in management who view employees as liabilities. Some of them may be highly placed and influential, but they are by far the minority.

 

[WorldTraveler]

since the whole retiree discussion is at best loosely related to the OP's thread, nothing more than an attempt by one user here to argue that someone else's opinion and actions were not valid (which has repeatedly been shown on here to be completely rejected and even the source of threats to throw people off the board), and those who are not retirees are clearly not going to see things the same as those who are, you are free to see the issue of retiree as you wish while those of us who are will see it as we see fit.

And I will still pursue business for my former employee and the guarantor of my pensions and the provider of other benefits as I see fit.