United Airlines – “UAL: clinging to life in a desperate industry”

Pros

Cheap standby travel benefits for you and your family, good work life balance in many departments.

Cons

"9 to 5" culture in many departments, incompetence is not grounds for termination (note that these things could be good, depending on your personal motivation to work). Company offers little opportunity for recognition, promotion, or pay increase - most employees are treated as replaceable/disposable. Notoriously poor relationships with unions. Top-level management is driving the company into the ground (Tilton, Brace and all of Tilton's cronies- which, regrettably, include the Board of Directors). No turnaround plan for company success- the strategy has been to merge and get out for the last several years.

Advice to Senior Management

Start running the company - with a longer-term focus. Everyone has to contend with high oil prices, yet somehow UAL finds itself consistently near the bottom of the heap, financially speaking. Oh, and contrary to the persistent vibe at the company, not all employees are useless lumps to be worked and cast aside like gutter trash. Just a thought :)