Ethical Dilemmas in The Workplace: The Ethics Guy on ABC News
I chose this video to comment on because I have been in the same situation as the first person questioned that did not bring in enough wedding business, or volume. The only difference ( a big one at that ) was me being an aircraft mechanic who got fired for lack of production. This was at a corporate airplane business. I went to Michigan’s Unemployment office and the lady who took my case stated on my form that “quantity” when it comes to aircraft safety, is not a valid reason to fire an individual. Case closed and full unemployment benefits for the maximum number of weeks allowed which I believe was 26 weeks or 6 months. Either way, what a blessing. Back then, I had three small children that depended on “dear old dad” so the pressure was on to receive something until I could get hired somewhere else.
Truthfulness paid off in a huge way by my hiring within those 26 weeks of benefits at an Air Force Reserve Base in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a ( wait for it ) aircraft mechanic. The guy that interviewed me asked me the reason for leaving my previous employer, and I was forthright and honest with him. Honesty equaled permanent employment from that day forward until my disability retirement from the Federal Government two years ago at the age of 51. Even today, look how the aircraft world is “pushing” these planes out the door to just make their revenue and quotas. Meanwhile, there could be “hidden” defects that in time could end up causing more crashes and ruining peoples lives for the “almighty dollar” versus quality and safety.
In my situation, I guess I could possibly have been a whistleblower back then. I do know that the larger hanger that the company had, ended up becoming a much smaller one. True story, one of our tenants back then was Mr. Bob Seger, as in the singer. We had several other “high-profile” individuals that hangered their planes there as well as maintenance. These “short cuts” cost them many all mighty dollars of business, I am sure of it. I am just extremely grateful that my fellow co-workers I left behind were competent and applied their training professionally, as I did. I just wasn’t “one of the guys” in the click that my former boss established, and knowing what I know now, I am glad I wasn’t.