I read with interest the story about JetBlue Flight attendant Steven Slater recently. Slater flipped out over a fight with an agitated traveller whom hit him on the head while he was trying to calm her down (I'm sure not his first encounter with crazed air travellers) on Aug 9, cursing over the intercom before grabbing some beer from the plane's galley and making a grand exit down the emergency slide at Kennedy Airport.
I'm sure many of us have thought of doing the same (well not the exact way Slater did) and just walking out but we hold back for many reasons.
When the cubicle starts to feel more like a prison than a calling?
When the bossiest boss has a smile that was just too smug? When the piddling wage seemed not to be worth the aggravation?
Defying the rules, telling people off and walking off a job is not usually a launching pad for public admiration and acclaim.
I believe only a handful of people have fulfilled Slater's fantasy in such grand fashion: leaving his job via the plane's emergency chute, with a beer in hand.
Slater's last words on the loudspeaker: "Those of you who have shown dignity and respect these last 20 years, thanks for a great ride".
I'm sure Slater's sudden exit has rekindled memories of workers' liberation as well as sparked wishful excitement amongst workers who have long fantasised of choosing pride over pay.
What's going on with Slater now: the poor guy is now facing felony charges as prosecutors said Slater's actions could have been deadly if ground crew workers had been hit by the emergency slide, which deploys with a force of 1,360kg per sq/in.
I say it was worth the consequences.
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