Fine day for a bit of Gloom

I live in Seattle and work for a company that makes aircraft parts. It was only a matter of time before the strike at Boeing trickled its effects down to us, much faster than Reagan's economic policy at any rate, which I believe those of us who have not had the benefit of getting paid handsomely to run a company into the ground are still waiting for. Aside from my feelings about corporate leaders who are only following the herd to big pay packages and platinum parachutes when concrete shoes might be more appropriate, there were other things that were discussed today at work. Boeing's machinists have been on strike for two weeks, it seems that Boeing's engineers have a contract that expires in December, and that there are those out there that believe the two unions will form a league of interests, perhaps giving the machinists cause to hold out until then. This is of course rampant speculation, as I don't believe I know anyone in either union at Boeing, unless of course it is in the sense of knowing someone but not what their occupation is. Gray, overcast days are the best sort for companies to warn of potential lay-offs, so who knows, perhaps I have a vacation later this year. I probably won't worry about that right now, and, to be honest, I don't really know how such a thing would affect our department. Generally we seem to be understaffed, but only last week it was mentioned that we were "overhead." If all we are is that, then we will be decimated fairly quickly if they do staffing reductions.

On the brighter side of things, yesterday as I was leaving the Jolly Roger I bought a growler of the Imperial IPA, and today I am drinking it.