Caring employers and callous shoppers

[serenissima]

Here's a bit of cheerful news.

AP: Ill. family thanks employees with surprise bonuses
By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO – Even though employees at the Peer Bearing Co. no longer work for the Spungen family that recently sold the Waukegan-based ball bearings maker, they still received a turkey each this Thanksgiving in keeping with tradition.

But even better was the gift that came in mid-September, when the Spungens threw a party to celebrate the company's acquisition by a Swedish company.

They gave away $6.6 million in year-end bonuses to Peer's 230 employees, decided by a formula based on each worker's years of service.

[..there are more details..]

I debated about posting this next one, with the thought that maybe I shouldn't circulate disgusting news, but I've decided to show you anyway. Reuters has an item on the same incident.

AP: Sought: Wal-Mart shoppers who trampled NY worker
By Colleen Long, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK – Police were reviewing video from surveillance cameras in an attempt to identify who trampled to death a Wal-Mart worker after a crowd of post-Thanksgiving shoppers burst through the doors at a suburban store and knocked him down.

Criminal charges were possible, but identifying individual shoppers in Friday's video may prove difficult, said Detective Lt. Michael Fleming, a Nassau County police spokesman.

Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers stepped over him and became irate when officials said the store was closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.
[...]

A woman reported being trampled by overeager customers at a Wal-Mart opening Friday in Farmingdale, about 15 miles east of Valley Stream, Suffolk County police said. She suffered minor injuries, but finished shopping before filling the report, police said.
[...]

As for us, we had a pleasant, lazy Thanksgiving. We went over to a friend's house for dinner, brought a turkey plus stuffing, rolls, muffins, cheese, and pickles, and returned home with most of same, since there was another turkey and a ham. I predict we'll be eating leftover turkey into the new year. Yesterday we slept late, stayed in all day, read a little and played some video games -- I never even changed out of pajamas. Today we plan to be a little more active.

Comments

[gregstoll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I read about that Wal-Mart thing. I might post about it but it's honestly pretty depressing...