$64,000 Question

So - my company has been in the news a lot the past week, and a lot of friends have emailed concerned as to what that means for me. And the answer is.....

??????????

I have no idea.

In fact, I probably won't for at least a year or two. Because the merger itself probably won't close until late in the year, and then it will probably take another year to 18 months to blend the technology, administration and other operational functions.

Overall, it looks like a pretty good thing for the company as a whole. But while we have been promised no frontline layoffs or job cuts, I'm not frontline. I have the type of job that you don't really need to duplicate elsewhere in the company, especially not if you plan on saving money where you can.

My main hope is that when all is said and done that

1. My job will still be needed

2. My job will still reside in Atlanta

3. I will be deemed the best person for that job

4. If not 3., then the person who does my job better in Minneapolis decides they don't want to move to Atlanta and I win by default.

Or, I could move to a frontline job. Which, while typically a lower paying thing, might work out OK anyway, as at least then I could be paid for the massive amounts of OT I put in, not have to take work home with me at the end of the day, and maybe be able to work a schedule that would make going back to school a little bit easier.

So, a lot to think about and consider. And a long time to consider it as well.

Oh, and in the midst of everything, we got a new airplane last month. It was our first new aircraft in about 6 years - a Boeing 777-200 LR. It is the longest range aircraft out there, can fly halfway around the world. It also has those cool sleeper seats - can't wait until I can take a trip on one.



Here I am with the new 777, posing with some guy - he said he was the President of the company or something like that.

Seriously, that is the President and Chief Financial Officer Ed Bastain. I met him a while back at a company event through my Dad (who apparently knows or has 2 degrees of separation between himself and the rest of the world). Mr. B's current Admin Assistant was my Dad's Admin Assistant about 15 years ago before Dad retired. (Another interesting tidbit of my Dad's history - his very first secretary at Delta had been Dwight D Eisenhower's secretary during WWII.)

Maybe they will be less apt to cut me if I put a copy of this photo on my desk.