News-Record.com

The following is a Counterpoint column.

By Daniel U. Cregar Jr.
I read with interest the article by John R. Cawthron, (CEO, TIMCO) who wrote a scathing piece (April 25) accusing HondaJet of employment piracy.

In the early years of my dental practice, I hired a young lady to work part time as an assistant while she completed her senior year in high school. When she graduated, I did not have a full-time position for her, but I highly recommended her to a specialist colleague who hired her.
Nine months later, an opening occurred in my practice and I advertised for an assistant. This young lady applied and took the job at a lower salary than the specialist was paying her. When I asked why, she stated that the working conditions at her other job were too stressful and she dreaded going to work in the morning. The specialist, I might add, sent me a scathing letter accusing me of “stealing” his employee. A similar situation to Cawthron’s.

I would recommend that Mr. Cawthron seriously look at TIMCO and ask himself if his employees dread coming to work in the morning. He has two choices. He can act like the little boy who owned the only baseball in the park and told the other kids, “Play by my rules, or I will take my ball home with me.” Or he can go to his human resources department and analyze whether or not:

1) his wages are competitive with the industry;

2) he gives his employees a generous insurance and retirement package comparable to industry standards;

3) the working conditions at TIMCO are as stress-free as possible and his employees look forward to coming to work each morning.

If any of these conditions does not exist, he needs to address it.

I strongly suggest he look at his company closely. If he doesn’t, when HondaJet opens that production line he is going to lose more than four engineers, and he can take that advice to the bank.

The writer lives in High Point.