Rather shocking in today's economic times that one would turn down a 2.5 percent pay hike effective July 1 and a 1.5 percent deduction from paychecks to pay a portion of employee benefits.

Do you realize what is going on in the rest of the country? The company I'm employed by has cut management's pay 5 ­ 25 % deepending on their position. Healthcare has increased substantially across all companies and employees are paying more of the cost, including where I am employed. Starting next month smokers will be charged an additional $50 a month in healthcare. Myself, I think they should charge the obese too they are a walking heart attack and additional cost to my health care but that is another issue.

Employee's spouses are no longer just carried on the company insurance it is an additional $200 a month, if they smoke an additional $50. Although the union is under contract for two more years they are calling them back to the table to discuss options. One option is to freeze the yearly pay increase so we are not forced to layoff personnel. None of us wants our co-workers laid off ­ they are our friends and our replacements when we retire yet they will be the first to go per the union seniority rules.

Every company and household in this country is strapped financially - it may not last long nevertheless it is here today ­ not tomorrrow ­ but today - companies are struggling to make ends meet just liike every worker at home. Your contract affects 340 employees what about the companies with thousands of employees ­ such as mine? They are willling to work together ­ to get through this today so everyone has aa job tomorrow to provide for their family. Where do you think you are going to get your next job?

Can you say "would you like fries with that?" … only if you're lucky.