Dollar Thrify Merger

[GenieCat]

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=120388

Dollar Thrifty is currently in the process of eliminating 200 jobs in Oklahoma, and sending the call center to the Philipines. This is an interesting development.

 

[mousefansmom]

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=120388

Dollar Thrifty is currently in the process of eliminating 200 jobs in Oklahoma, and sending the call center to the Philipines. This is an interesting development.

I never really liked Thrifty, and haven't used Dollar much. This just gives me one more reason to avoid them. I am so tired of and saddened to hear about companies that are profit hungry and outsource.

Mousefansmom

 

[CarolA]

I never really liked Thrifty, and haven't used Dollar much. This just gives me one more reason to avoid them. I am so tired of and saddened to hear about companies that are profit hungry and outsource.

Mousefansmom

While it's sad I think part of the blame goes to the public. Look at the threads on this board looking for REALLY cheap rental cars and REALLY cheap airfare. If we want REALLY cheap we need to understand the consequences....... We want to pay $59 each way for airfare and $100 a week to rent a car.... companies have an obligation to make a return for thier shareholders.... something has to give.

 

[mousefansmom]

While it's sad I think part of the blame goes to the public. Look at the threads on this board looking for REALLY cheap rental cars and REALLY cheap airfare. If we want REALLY cheap we need to understand the consequences....... We want to pay $59 each way for airfare and $100 a week to rent a car.... companies have an obligation to make a return for thier shareholders.... something has to give.

It is kind of a "what came first/chicken or egg?" thing I think. We require cheaper fares/rentals etc. because so many of us have lost employment to outsourcing. That said, you also have a very valid point. There are no winners here it seems. That is the sad part.

Mousefansmom

 

[NotUrsula]

They have also entered into talks to sell the company to the folks who own National/Alamo, it was in today's NYT.

 

[CarolA]

It is kind of a "what came first/chicken or egg?" thing I think. We require cheaper fares/rentals etc. because so many of us have lost employment to outsourcing. That said, you also have a very valid point. There are no winners here it seems. That is the sad part.

Mousefansmom

I have been reading this board long enough to know that there are a LOT of us who have not lost employment to outsourcing who still want "cheaper fares" I don't think OUR personal economic situation has as much to do with our expectations on airfares etc as the "economic model" the airlines have come up with. "Sell seats" at ANY cost. So they have sold seats BELOW what it costs to fly us. Rental car companies are the same way as were hotels.

All of that actually seems to tie back to the HUGE downturn in travel after 9/11 and while travel has bounced back it's at the expectation that it will still be a bargin. Threads on here about "outragous" airfare , high rental cars, threads on the resorts boards where folks won't go without "free dining" etc.....The expectation is that travel should be this "bargin" when the truth is that maybe it isn't.

 

[Beckles]

It is kind of a "what came first/chicken or egg?" thing I think. We require cheaper fares/rentals etc. because so many of us have lost employment to outsourcing. That said, you also have a very valid point. There are no winners here it seems. That is the sad part.

You do realize that the unemployment rate in the US is 4.6% (note that 4.0% is typically considered 'full employment', any lower than that is actually a big problem because the labor market is too tight and inflation will most likely occur)? In many cases, such as with telephone call centers, jobs aren't outsourced to save money, but rather because it's very difficult for companies in the US to fill those jobs because the labor market is so competitive. I know that the big call centers around where I live (Citibank and T-mobile) are always looking for people, they're not exactly turning away folks at the door who can do the jobs!

 

[mousefansmom]

You do realize that the unemployment rate in the US is 4.6% (note that 4.0% is typically considered 'full employment', any lower than that is actually a big problem because the labor market is too tight and inflation will most likely occur)? In many cases, such as with telephone call centers, jobs aren't outsourced to save money, but rather because it's very difficult for companies in the US to fill those jobs because the labor market is so competitive. I know that the big call centers around where I live (Citibank and T-mobile) are always looking for people, they're not exactly turning away folks at the door who can do the jobs!

Where I live, people WOULD line up for those jobs. Geographically, there are differences in unemployment. Wisconsin's taxes are among the highest in the nation for business and residents (as per 2005 data we were in the top 5 worst- Missouri was the 11th best). That is not the best climate for employment.

Although this will be my last post on this subject so as not to beleaguer the discussion, my only point was that it is bothersome to me personally to see jobs sent away. It typically is because of the profitability factor for the bigger businesses, at least in the area I live in.

Mousefansmom