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The global pandemic has substantially risen as it continues to take its toll on many different factors throughout the world: health, death rates, poverty, and jobs.
On July 8, 2020, writer Daren Fonda shares the latest line of corporate business, United Airlines are not only burning through $40 million a day to remain under operation but now it will cost terminating 36,000 employees to do so. With the alarming drop in flight travels due to Covid-19, the airline industry is down 78% year-over-year, in which United Airline stocks shares 1.3% in such (Fonda)
Following the mass, United Airlines lay off warnings, the $50 billion in Cares Act, which has helped reduced furloughs in the airline industry. Such a grant will not guarantee all related employees are secured in their current position as the grant expires in October. Furthermore, if the notices are carried through, the following people different position are subjected to furlough:
- 15,000 flight attendants;
- 11,000 customer service and gate agents;
- 1,300 management and support staff;
- 5,500 maintenance workers; and roughly 2,250 pilots.
All accumulating to nearly 45% of its airline’s U.S staff. And while such news had prompt airline labor organizations to request an additional $25 billion in payroll, the probability of receiving this aid is unlikely to happen since the election takes place next year (Associated Press). Nonetheless, United are not allowed to lay off workers prior to October, as they are still under the $5 billion federal aid.
United is not the only airline facing such drastic changes. Delta informs employees that it will lay off a staggering quarter of its 14,000 pilots.
So what does this mean for other people whose jobs are at risk?
While Covid-19 has prompted us to take proper precautions to minimize endangering one and other with the deadly disease, it requires some jobs to continue facing a backlash. Some of the most at-risk jobs still include hairdressers and barbers, cashier positions, taxi drivers, and janitorial work (Marcus Lu). With President Trump wanting to return back to regular school schedules as of this fall, we can certainly anticipate that teachers are now among the high-risk group.
As a daughter of a teacher assistant, one can presume the constant anxiousness that flows when thinking about passionate teachers who will be put at risk just for simply doing their jobs. And suddenly, it becomes bigger than just the health status of this specific occupation group. Now, those who don’t have have the basic rights to say “no, it is not safe.” will not be able to vouch for themselves or others.
In fact, no one can vouch for themselves when it comes to keeping the economy running by any means necessary. And then the wonderment of why the United States has yet to get this dire situation under control is due to the selfish greed of reopening sites and lifting the mandated lockdown all too soon instead of waiting until it was safe to do so.
We can expect a lot more job lines to decline as the pandemic continues to rise.
Written by Jakiria Williams
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
NBC Chicago: United Airlines Sending Layoff Notices
Barron’s: United Isn’t Alone. A Wave of Layoffs Could be Coming
Economy: The Front Line: Visualizing the Occupation with the Highest Covid-19 Risk
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Blue Roots -Creative Commons License