Bonus ball

Is it only me...but what is sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander.

As you know for the past few weeks public discussion forums whether they be on the airwaves, in print or in a digitised format, have been poisoned and hijacked by an indignant lynch mob, egged on by supporters of the Two Caesars and The Last Lot, expressing righteous indignation about the level of remuneration being paid to Head Honchos through an agreed bonus structure.

This lynch mob started and reached hysterical fever pitch with Head Honchos in the banks, whether supported by the taxpayer or not, but the contagion is now spreading to other industries, most notably recently the Fat Controller who runs the nation’s train set.

I fear it won’t stop there.

Now for public clarity it is my position that bonuses should be paid to reward the delivery of agreed objectives and should be aligned with the long term interests of shareholders. If those two criteria are met I have no issue with bonuses which should be a matter at the end of the day for the Board and shareholders of any business. It is most certainly not the business of politicians or the Great Unwashed.

This week I heard one of the lynch mob, and a senior supporter of Betty’s First Minister, and therefore by instinct ought to be on the side of free enterprise and individual responsibility, go on record and say ‘that he had a problem with bonuses paid just for doing your job’. And of course he was referring to bankers when he said that.

Now at one level I would agree with that but only if such sentiments were equally applied.

Let us examine closely the behaviours in recent months of the Mr Bob Crowe, and the pack of proletarian dinosaurs he leads as Head Honcho of the RMT. With bullying skill and by holding Transport for London and other rail company Head Honchos to ransom over the Olympics, something the bankers and others have not done, he has bullied them into paying a bonus to his followers just for doing their jobs through the Olympics. Pray tell how this is different, apart from the quantum, from the bankers and others.

Will these dinosaurs be driving one extra train or bus through the Olympics? No.

Will they be driving any faster? No.

Will they be carrying more passengers? Maybe a smidgeon more but this hardly puts extra strain or effort on the train driver.

So what exactly are these people doing to justify their bonus?

Now it might only be me but if Head Honchos are going to be pilloried, lynched and eviscerated in full public view for taking what they are rightfully owed then maybe we should be taking a long hard look and be equally vicious about everyone else who is paid a bonus of whatever amount just for doing their job. And let’s start with Mr Crowe and his minions.

Alternatively maybe the Head Honchos of our banks and other places should threaten to go on strike through the Olympic period until their justifiable wage demands are met. If you think train drivers on strike might be a problem, that’s a picnic compared to the damage that would be done if the banks were to close down. Fortunately our Head Honchos are gentlemen, despite the efforts of the Bully Boys.

Have a great week.

And if you are looking for even more intelligent conversation through the week check out www.themarketingcomic.blogspot.com.

Sis felix. Et sis fortunatus.