Air France Employees Angry About Layoffs

Air France announced 2,900 job cuts by 2017, and employees didn't react well. The company had asked pilots to take wage cuts, but they haven't agreed.

The head of HR for the company was pictured without a shirt, trying to get through a group of angry employees yelling, "A poil, à poil" (off with his clothes). In this photo, security officers are helping the executive escape. The head of Air France for Orly airport also had his shirt ripped by the crowd.

The airline union and parent company Air France-KLM denounced the employees' actions, and company officials said they would file a charges.

From IB Times, Business Insider summarizes similar employee situations in France since 2009. Employees at a Goodyear tire company held executives hostage for 30 hours rather than accept  1,173 job cuts. In 2009, employees at Caterpillar held executives hostage for a night after layoffs of 700 were announced.  

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Try to explain the employees' perspective given the news and the country's history.
• What do you think the management team will do now?
• How would such an event go over in other countries?

TV Station Apologizes for Showing Nazi Symbol on Yom Kippur

It's hard to imagine how such a mistake could happen. A Chicago TV station showed a Nazi image when talking about Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. "Jude" is the German word for Jew, and the blue stripes were used on Jewish uniforms in concentration camps. 

The station issued apologies live and on Twitter.

"Last night we ran a story to recognize Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.  Regrettably, we failed to recognize that the artwork we chose to accompany the story contained an offensive symbol.  This was an unfortunate mistake.  Ignorance is not an excuse.  We are extremely embarrassed and we deeply apologize to our viewers and to the Jewish community for this mistake.

"We are investigating how this situation occurred, reviewing our in-house policies and making changes in order to avoid such mistakes from happening in the future.  Thank you for your understanding. We promise to do better."

 

Discussion Starters:

• The station said it would investigate how the mistake happened, but it hasn't followed up yet. How do you think it happened? Under what situations would they not respond with a reason?
• Assess the apology. How effective are the video and written statement?

Air India Deems 130 Unfit to Fly

In 2014, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) provided body mass index (BMI) guidelines for flight crew members, and now Air India is taking action against those who haven't complied. The DGCA also imposed rules for medical check-ups:

"The Initial Medical Examination shall be conducted upon induction. Subsequently, cabin crew shall undergo medical examination once every four years till the age of 40, once every two years till the age of 50 and yearly thereafter."

Before the guidelines were published, some Air India flight attendants ("air hostesses") refused the fitness test and instead asked the airline to pay for gym memberships.

Now, Air India, with the highest percentage of attendants over 40, has grounded 130 of its 3,5000 crew members. Most are women. A 51-year-old attendant told The Washington Post, "It is incredibly upsetting that working women are being targeted. This is not a modelling job; we are not working a catwalk."

The airline is stressing job requirements, not appearance. One official said, "People who are fitter can respond quicker and more efficiently in case of any untoward situation."

But Air India has a history of focusing on looks. In 2004, the personnel manager told BBC:

"Looks matter in this line of work, and therefore we are giving it a lot of importance. When we review a candidate, we look at the skin, teeth and height. There should be no scars, acne, or any major marks on the face. The candidate should have a pleasing personality, should be able to carry him or herself with confidence and be ready to serve others. After all, that is the job of an air hostess and a male steward."

Although crew members will stay employed, they miss out on benefits of flight travel.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of this situation? Should the airline stress BMI and/or looks in its decisions to hire and retain cabin crew?
• What is the best way for Air India to quell the controversy at this point?

Chinese Premier Speaks at World Economic Forum

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is doing his best to rebuild confidence in his country's economy. He delivered the opening session at the World Economic Forum, the ninth "Annual Meeting of the New Champions" with more than 1,500 people representing more than 90 countries.

Seven video quotes may show a representation of the speech, although we don't know the criteria for selection. The first is below: 

According to The Financial Times, despite the government's focus on progress, critics accuse authorities as they "sought to prop up stocks by banning large share sales, detaining journalists and punishing 'rumour mongers' as well as orchestrating state-directed buying." 

Li has tried to put China's financial position into perspective: "The fluctuations in global financial markets recently are a continuation of the 2008 global financial crisis." The Financial Times summarizes Li's position: 

"Although he did not outline any further stimulus measures or policy reform initiatives, Mr Li did say he was confident in future growth because he saw a 'massive wave of mass entrepreneurship and innovation across the nation.'"

Li did acknowledge difficulties: 

"China is an economy that is closely integrated with the international market. Given the weak growth of the global economy, China cannot stay unaffected and the deep-seated problems that have built up over the years are also being exposed."

But he repeated that the Chinese economy is in a "proper range," which The Guardian calls, "a favourite phrase."

Discussion Starters: 

• Analyze the audience at the World Economic Forum. What are their goals for attending the event? Who are the secondary audiences for Li's speech? 
• Read the speech transcript. Does Li meet his goal of reassuring us about the strength of Chinese economy? 

Auschwitz Museum Accused of Insensitivity

Management of the Auschwitz museum in Poland say they were just trying to cool off visitors from the heat, but people took offense to the sprinkler system they say reminded them of gas chambers used during the Holocaust. A visitor from Israel said, "As soon as I got off the bus I walked into the shower contraption. I was in shock. It was a punch to the gut."

A spokesperson for the museum told TIME, "Because of the extreme heat wave we have experienced in August in Poland, mist sprinklers which cool the air were placed near the entrance to the Museum. The mist sprinkles do not look like showers and the fake showers installed by Germans inside some of the gas chambers were not used to deliver gas into them."

He also said, "The safety and health of visitors are our priority during the period of extreme heat. Cooling air have been really helpful to visitors in this difficult situation."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the situation? Should the museum have had the foresight to avoid this controversy? Should the management handle the situation differently now? Or are people just being overly sensitive?
• Can you think of a statement that would address visitors' concerns, yet explain management's perspective in a more balanced way?

Toshiba Resignations

Toshiba has announced the resignation of the chief executive and seven other board members in the wake of an accounting scandal. An independent report found that the company had overstated earnings by $1.2 billion over seven years. 

In a news conference, Chief Executive Hisao Tanaka said, "I apologize from my heart to all our stakeholders. To clarify management responsibility, I resign my posts as president and member of the board of directors as of today."

In the Japanese culture, it is traditional to bow deeply, particularly when admitting wrongdoing. Tanaka also said, "The responsibility lies in the management, including myself. As a response, I am stepping down from the post as the CEO and president."

The committee that issued the report found "systematic involvement, including by top management, with the goal of intentionally inflating the appearance of net profits." The committee also wrote, "Within Toshiba, there was a corporate culture in which one could not go against the wishes of superiors." 

In a company statement, Toshiba promises changes as a result of the committee's findings, including disclosing the investigation report and correcting past financial statements. 

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• What differences do you see in Toshiba and Toyota's news conferences (in 2010) compared to American companies' public hearings, such as GM's? 
• How much confidence do you have in Toshiba after hearing this news? What can the company do to rebuild the brand?

Reddit's CEO Change

Reddit has been a spiral of drama in the past few weeks. Wired gives a useful chronology of the CEO changes and other issues. Ellen Pao was hired as interim CEO in November 2014 after Yishan Wong resigned. Pao had been in the news because she was a junior investment partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and sued the firm for gender discrimination. She lost the suit, which went to trial, in March 2015. 

At Reddit, Pao was criticized for banning several subreddits (topical groups within Reddit). Although Reddit was created as a place for free speech, some of it is hateful. But users felts that Pao overstepped in closing down some sites. More than 200,000 people signed a change.org petition calling for Pao's resignation.

In her resignation post, Pao thanked her supporters but focused on the trolls and hateful comments she had received. She asks people to consider others' humanity and writes, "So why am I leaving? Ultimately, the board asked me to demonstrate higher user growth in the next six months than I believe I can deliver while maintaining reddit's core principles."

According to Wired,

Reddit is home to some of the most hateful content on the Internet, but at least some of it appears to be here to stay. Reddit [new] CEO Steve Huffman said during an AMA [ask me anything] on the site today that the company would ban communities that "incite harm or violence against an individual or group of people," as well as any subreddit that "harasses, bullies, or abuses an individual or group of people."

But he did call out a specific racist subreddit by name-a name so offensive that we won't repeat it here-as an example of the kind of content that would remain, though likely under a new classification-an assurance that brought cheers from the subreddit's members.

Wired also summarizes Pao's resignation:

Some have decried Ellen Pao's resignation from Reddit as a step in the wrong direction for an industry where women leaders are still a distinct minority, but the site's detractors say good riddance. Though Reddit was originally intended as a place where the ideals of free speech and the wisdom of the crowd would reign, often the crowd turned into a mob.

Discussion Starters:

• People are so divided over Pao's resignation. What's your opinion? Was the decision best for the website? What are the consequences? 
• How, if at all, does her Kleiner lawsuit factor into your opinion? What if she had won the case?

Walmart, Amazon, and Others Stop Selling Confederate Flag Images

Items such as this "Rebel Flag Southern Pride Confederate Redneck Belt Buckle" will no longer be sold at Walmart. Walmart, eBay, Amazon, and Sears will discontinue the flag image that many consider a symbol of racism. The decision comes in the wake of nine murders at an African-American church in South Carolina. 

Held by the southern U.S. states that supported slavery, the flag may fly for the last time on South Carolina state grounds. Governor Nikki Haley has called for the flag to be removed, a decision that requires a vote by two-thirds of the legislature. 

Companies are following suit. In a statement by a Walmart spokesperson, the company promised to remove all items carrying the flag graphic:

"We never want to offend anyone with the products that we offer. We have taken steps to remove all items promoting the confederate flag from our assortment -- whether in our stores or on our web site. We have a process in place to help lead us to the right decisions when it comes to the merchandise we sell. Still, at times, items make their way into our assortment improperly -- this is one of those instances."

An eBay spokesperson said that the confederate flag "become a contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism." The online site along with Amazon and Sears will stop selling products with the image.

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What's the opposing view? Why do people favor the image of the Confederate flag?
• Did Walmart and the others do the right thing? Why or why not?
• What other companies would you expect to announce a similar decision to discontinue products?

NAACP President and Questions About Race

The NAACP president of the Spokane, WA, chapter has resigned after facing claims that she has been impersonating a black person. Rachel Dolezal's parents say she was born white; the family adopted four black children when Dolezal was a teenager, which some speculate began her changed racial identity. 

The NAACP released a statement supporting Dolezal and addressing threats to the organization.

Today, Dolezal announced her resignation in a Facebook post addressed to the executive committee and NAACP members. Here are two paragraphs from her statement:

"I am delighted that so many organizations and individuals have supported and collaborated with the Spokane NAACP under my leadership to grow this branch into one of the healthiest in the nation in 5 short months. In the eye of this current storm, I can see that a separation of family and organizational outcomes is in the best interest of the NAACP.

It is with complete allegiance to the cause of racial and social justice and the NAACP that I step aside from the Presidency and pass the baton to my Vice President, Naima Quarles-Burnley. It is my hope that by securing a beautiful office for the organization in the heart of downtown, bringing the local branch into financial compliance, catalyzing committees to do strategic work in the five Game Changer issues, launching community forums, putting the membership on a fast climb, and helping many individuals find the legal, financial and practical support needed to fight race-based discrimination, I have positioned the Spokane NAACP to buttress this transition."

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the situation?
• The NAACP refers to "a legal issue with her family." How much does this play into the situation? 
• Did NAACP do the right thing by supporting Dolezal? Did she do the right thing by resigning?

Supreme Court Rules Against Abercrombie on Hijab

The Supreme Court settled a case about Abercrombie & Fitch for denying a Muslim woman a job because she wore a headscarf, or hijab, for religious reasons. After the applicant's interview, the assistant store manager deemed her qualified for the job, but the district manager said her hajib would violate the company's dress code. 

This is a major win for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency that brought charges against the retailer. The Society for Human Resource Management summarizes the decision: 

"In an 8-1 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court held that an employer may not refuse to hire an applicant if the need for a religious accommodation was a motivating factor in the employer's decision, unless accommodation would pose an undue hardship.

"The prohibition on refusing to hire an applicant to avoid accommodating a religious practice does not apply, as Abercrombie argued, only where an applicant has informed the employer of her need for an accommodation."

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the case? Consider the legal requirements described by SHRM as well as Abercrombie's perspective. 
• How would you react if you shopped at Abercrombie and saw an employee wearing a headscarf? 

Welsh Bus Company Rethinks Sexy Ad

Are people just too sensitive, or did this Welsh bus company cross a line with its ad? The picture of a naked woman with a provocative line was created for a Cardiff, Wales, company promoting its cross-city service.

A representative for the Advertising Standards Agency reported 45 complaints and told Business Insider, "We've received complaints about this ad, but we understand that the advertiser will be taking it down within the next 24 hours and has removed its accompanying tweet in response to the concerns it's received. We'll continue to monitor the situation in case further action is needed."

On Twitter, New Adventure Travel promised to take down the ads: 

In view of the reaction to our bus advertising today we wish to set out our position:

Firstly we have stated that our objectives have been to make catching the bus attractive to the younger generation. We therefore developed an internal advertising campaign featuring males and females to hold boards to promote the cost of our daily tickets.

The slogan of 'ride me all day for £3' whilst being a little tongue in cheek was in no way intended to cause offence to either men or women and, if the advert has done so then we apologise unreservedly. There has certainly been no intention to objectify either men or women.

Given the volume of negativity received we have decided to remove the pictures from the back of the buses within the next twenty four hours.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view? Is this just a catchy ad and people are too sensitive? Or is the ad potentially offensive?
• What, if any, cultural differences are at play? How do you think this would be received in the United States?
• How do we decide what "crosses a line"? What criteria do you use to form your opinion? 
• Did New Adventure Travel do and say the right thing?

An AT&T President Fired Over Racist Text

One of AT&T's presidents has been fired for sending a racist tweet, and other executives may be involved. Aaron Slator sent offensive images that became public in a $100 million lawsuit filed by an AT&T employee.

The complaint blames a culture of racism at the company: 

"These images, put out by Slator who is the President of AT&T, are beyond offensive. When Slator sent the picture of the African child via text message, he referred to it as an 'oldie but goodie.' Slator transmitted these images on his work phone, evidencing deep-rooted racial bigotry in his place of employment."

Knoyme King is claiming that she was denied a promotional opportunity, was unfairly paid, and suffered a hostile work environment. 

AT&T has terminated Slator, which King's attorneys equate with admitting guilt. 

A spokesperson for AT&T told Business Insider, "Aaron Slator has been terminated. There is no place for demeaning behavior within AT&T, and we regret the action was not taken earlier."

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• Was terminating Slator the right decision? Do you agree with the lawyers that this proves AT&T's guilt?
• I'm trying to understand Slator's position? What could be his defense?

Clorox Apologizes for Emoji Tweet

Let's give Clorox's social media manager the benefit of the doubt: no harm was intended with this tweet about bleaching the new, diverse emojis. 

It took me too long to get the intended joke: the emojis are dirty?  

As you might guess, most people took the tweet to mean that darker skin should be whitened. Clorox's explanation doesn't help much: 

Music? Bathtub? Wine? Sorry, still confusing. 

Response tweets are much funnier: 

• I can DM my resume if yall need a new social media manager @Clorox
• .@Clorox social media meeting: "Hey, they added emojis with darker skin color!" "OK, COOL. Tweet a bleaching joke. Make it funny."

Discussion Starters: 

• Should the Twitter manager have known better? Is the insult obvious or not? 
• One person tweeted, "If you're offended by Clorox's tweet, just get off of social media and look for actual racism elsewhere. #IHatePeopleSometimes." What's your view?

Starbucks Abandons "Race Together" Initiative

After heated criticism, Starbucks will end the company's attempt to discuss race at its stores. As part of the initiative, baristas were encouraged to write "Race Together" on customers' cups. 

People didn't react well, pointing to the company's lack of diversity in its own management team and questioning the authenticity of the initiative.

   

Comments were so harsh that Starbucks' head of communications deleted his Twitter page, which caused another round of criticism. 

In a letter to Starbucks partners, Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz wrote,

"This phase of the effort -- writing "Race Together" (or placing stickers) on cups, which was always just the catalyst for a much broader and longer term conversation -- will be completed as originally planned today, March 22."  

However, according to a New York Times article, the date hadn't been announced before now. 

Schultz also wrote, 

"While there has been criticism of the initiative -- and I know this hasn't been easy for any of you -- let me assure you that we didn't expect universal praise. The heart of Race Together has always been about humanity: the promise of the American Dream should be available to every person in this country, not just a select few.  We leaned in because we believed that starting this dialogue is what matters most.  We are learning a lot. And will always aim high in our efforts to make a difference on the issues that matter most."  

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the initial campaign?
• Read Schultz's statement. Does it sound sincere?
• Was ending the campaign the right decision?

Ferguson Emails Reveal Racist Attitudes

Emails among Ferguson, MO, police officers and court officers reveal racial bias. In an investigation following the shooting of Michael Brown (and the grand jury's decision not to indict the officer who shot him), the Justice Department discovered offensive emails, six of which were published.

One email, according to NPR, said that "President Barack Obama would not be president for very long because 'what black man holds a steady job for four years.'" Others compared the president to a chimpanzee and conveyed more stereotypes about African-Americans, Muslims, and people on welfare.

According a the Justice Department's report, the emails reflect the culture of the police department and court system:

"Ferguson's police and municipal court practices both reflect and exacerbate existing racial bias, including racial stereotypes. Ferguson's own data establish clear racial disparities that adversely impact African Americans. The evidence shows that discriminatory intent is part of the reason for these disparities."

In a news conference, Ferguson Major James Knowles condemned the behavior and announced that two of the three employees who wrote the emails were terminated, and a third was placed on administrative leave. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess the mayor's news conference. How well does he assure the public that proper actions have been taken?
• What other communications would you like to see, for example, from the police department or court system?
• How do we get people to stop writing emails that they don't want discovered? 

Target Employee Commits Suicide

A Target employee committed suicide apparently after being humiliated at a store. The mother of 22-year-old Graham Gentles filed suit, and her attorney describes his experience at the store: 

"While he was cuffed he was paraded through the store into a room and was interrogated there," attorney Patrick McNicholas said. "He was then paraded back out to the store, put into a patrol car and taken to Pasadena police station."

Gentles was accused of stealing but wasn't charged with a crime. 

Gentles' attorney says that he had autism: "He was hyper focused on his loss, and it was a perfect storm which resulted in his death." His mother says that her son told her, "Mom this is the worst day of my life." The suit also claims that the "walk of shame" is part of Target's disciplinary policy. Target issued this statement: 

"Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the friends and family of this individual. The allegations in the lawsuit of a Target policy or practice are simply not true. There is no such policy. As this is pending litigation, we don't have further comment at this time."

Discussion Starters: 

• What is Target's potential responsibility? Do you believe the company is to blame for Gentles' suicide? 
• Assess Target's statement. How appropriate is it, given the situation?

Oscar Diversity Problem? "Not at All"

The Academy Awards are under fire for lacking diversity in nominations this year. Although "Selma," the film about Martin Luther King, was nominated for best picture, its director and lead actor were snubbed. Criticism looms partly because all 20 nominees for best actor and supporting actor are white. "Selma," a highly acclaimed film received only one other nomination: best song.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Academy's first black president, said, "Not at all. Not at all," when asked whether the organization had a "problem with recognizing diversity."  She also told Vulture

"Well, it's a terrific motion picture, and that we can never and should not take away from it, the fact that it is a terrific motion picture. There are a lot of terrific motion pictures, it's a very competitive time, and there's a lot of great work that has been done. I am very happy that Selma is included in our eight terrific motioncture [nominations]."

"The good news is that the wealth of talent is there, and it's being discussed, and it's helpful so much for talent-whether in front of the camera or behind the camera-to have this recognition, to have this period of time where there is a lot of publicity, a lot of chitter-chatter."

Isaacs also told Time, "I would love to see and look forward to see a greater cultural diversity among all our nominees in all of our categories."

An infographic and the Twitter hashtag #OscarsSoWhite give us more perspective on the controversy: 

Discussion Starters: 

• Do you agree with the criticism? 
• Analyze Isaacs statements. What works well to convey the Academy's position, and what could be improved? 
• Here's another graphic showing concern about the Academy's lack of diversity. Which do you find more effective in conveying the message?

Ogilvy Apologizes for Distasteful Ad

Ad agency Ogilvy & Mather has apologized for an offensive ad produced for Kurl-on, an Indian mattress company. What could go wrong when portraying a 14-year-old Taliban shooting victim in a cartoon? 

The company wanted to show that heroic figures "bounce back," but the ad doesn't quite work. The New York Times describes Malala Yousafzai, featured in the promotion: 

"At the age of 11, Malala Yousafzai took on the Taliban by giving voice to her dreams. As turbaned fighters swept through her town in northwestern Pakistan in 2009, the tiny schoolgirl spoke out about her passion for education - she wanted to become a doctor, she said - and became a symbol of defiance against Taliban subjugation."

Two other ads in the series aren't much better. Steve Jobs is shown pushed out a door, and Gandhi is thrown from a moving train. 

Before this one hit paid media outlets, online news organizations flagged the image. Although Kurl-on hasn't responded to inquiries, Ogilvy issued this statement: 

"We deeply regret this incident and want to apologize to Malala Yousafzai and her family. We are investigating how our standards were compromised in this case and will take whatever corrective action is necessary."

Discussion Starters: 

• How do Kurl-on and Ogilvy share responsibility for the ad? How did this happen? 
• The ad was created in Ogilvy's Indian office and produced in a Chilean studio. How, if at all, do these facts affect your thinking about the ad?

No More Voice Mail at Coca-Cola

It's a sign of the times: Coca-Cola is no longer accepting voice mail messages. At the Atlanta headquarters, employees can shut off their voice mail system and never have to listen to another message. Only 6% opted in.

According to spokesperson Amanda Roesster, the move meets the goal of "changing the tools and methods in which we communicate as a company." In an internal message announcing the decision, CIO Ed Steinike wrote that eliminating voice mail will "simplify the way we work and increase productivity."

Bloomberg and MSN credit Millennials for the declining use of voice mail. To people under 30, they are a waste of time. Texting and Facebook messages are more efficient, and some Millennials admit not listening to voice messages at all. An NPR article quotes a trend expert: 

"Everyone criticizes the Millennials for being the 'me' generation and being so entitled. I don't think they're so entitled. I think they're just incredibly pragmatic. So for them if a voice mail isn't practical - which most of the time it isn't - and there's a more practical way of delivering the same information, they're gonna go for that."

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of voice mail messages? What are the advantages of voice messages that Coca-Cola may lose? 
• How do you decide whether to send someone an email, text, Facebook message, or voice mail? See advice in Chapter 1 for ideas.

Walgreens Pulls Swastika Wrapping Paper

Would you like swastikas with your Hanukkah wrapping paper? Traditionally, blue-colored wrapping paper would be used for Hanukkah gifts, but paper at Walgreens, part of a Hannukah display, includes a pattern that few Jews would appreciate. 

A Walgreens representative said, "We are in the process of removing the product from our stores," but the company made no other comment about the design. A Hallmark statement acknowledged that the paper "has an unintentional offensive background image" and a representative said, "We sincerely apologize for this oversight and for (the) unintended offense."

Discussion Starters: 

• How does a mistake like this happen? 
• Hallmark says the image is "unintentional" and the offense is "unintended." Do you buy it? 
• What else, if anything, should Walgreens and Hallmark do?