McDonald’s Supersized 401(k) Match

Do you not find it amazing that the American people who are one of the hardest working groups of people in the world, are dumb enough to have any loyalty to any company. 30 years ago the standard was employees went to work and stayed at a company until they retired. Now the avg. length of time is 2.7 years. Why? The companies lay people off. So some people have actually gotten smart enough to be proactive and never stop looking for that better job, just to make sure they have one. I was taught when I was in college that an oral contract was a binding as a written contract, yet the American public let's politicians and their employers lie through their teeth to them. You better beleive the CEO's and Presidents are still drawing their hugh salaries and bonuses. Recently there was a public announcement made he in Charlotte, NC by one of the larger NC banks that they were merging. Oh don't worry the employees were told your jobs will be there. An older woman, that didn't work for either of the companies involved and was well over sixty five, stepped forward and asked the CEO if he was willing to put up his annual bonus and half of his $5,000,000 yearly salary up as a type of collateral to pay employees should there be a need for a layoff. She felt that amount of money would keep several hundred people covered. The man refused to even aknoweldge her.He knew what he was saying was a lie. An sure enough less than a month later the news came out that there may be up to 15,000 people laid off.

Matching any part of 401's any more is a dream. Bless MacDonalds for what they are doing , but considering most of their employees make minimum wage, you are not talking massive amounts of money. I sure some of those people would rather see their salaries increase to where they were above the poverty level. They are worried about living NOW, not making it until they are 67 or whatever the retirment age will be for them of if there even is a retirment age. Being a college graduate that was taught I was safe if I had a college degree, I can now say after five layoffs, three for companies closing out departments and two for the companies totally closing. I don't believe in or have any faith in any American company. The last company I worked for was a British company and even though they closed they still are paying into my pension, which did not happen with the other four American companies I worked for. Due to having to work two and three jobs at a time and the stress of work, I am now disabled. Although I love to work and want to beleive in the American dream, it is not going to happen unless things in this country change and it won't happen because some hew hot shot politician thinks he can turn things around, it will happen when the American public gets off their butts and demand want is rightfully theres and puts someone with business experience in the White House. I would like to see every politician in this country have to go get a job.

Elaine of NC 6:44PM January 07, 2009