How unusual is this? Nearly as rare as Mr Feuerstein's generosity

[Mairead]

(there's no copyright issue here--it's old news now)

PITTSFIELD Maine — Workers at the San Antonio Shoe plant were given a dose of good news in the form of Christmas bonuses that, for some, totaled nearly $20,000. Instead of receiving typical end-of-year turkeys, the 200 employees were handed envelopes when they were called together Friday afternoon.

When Lawrence Wyman opened his, he found a check for $19,000. His wife, Charlene, got a check for the same amount.

The company this year awarded its employees with bonuses of $1,000 for every year worked at the company. Even those who had worked less than a year got $500 each.

The bonuses were particularly uplifting given that most news in the manufacturing sector this year has been about plants closing and employees being laid off.

"They called us all together and said we would each get $1,000," Lawrence Wyman said. "Everyone started clapping and then they said it would be $1,000 for each year worked."

And that's when the tears flowed. Some estimated that the bonuses totaled $200,000 or more.

SAS Pittsfield is a division of SAS Shoemakers in San Antonio. The corporate offices were closed Friday afternoon and company officials could not be reached for comment.

A letter included with each check said the gifts were a longtime dream of the company and were in appreciation for employees' standing by the company during hard times. The letters were unsigned.

Wyman said he started working for Northeast Shoe 42 years ago and stayed on when SAS bought the company about 20 years ago.

"There's no retirement funds in the shoe business, so this is going to come in real handy," he said.

Paula Stoddard also got a check for $19,000. She said the company always gives employees Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts and bags of candies at Halloween.

"This will enable us to do a few things that we had been putting off, saving for," she said. "We're going to redo the bathroom - my husband is disabled with Parkinson's disease - and get a new kitchen floor, and of course pay some bills. This is certainly going to mean a few extra things for Christmas."


Capitalists don't have to be arseholes!

[jpgray]

1. Great story!

It shows how there can be hope in any situation when people work hard to do something right.

[Coldgothicwoman]

2. THIS is capitalism at its finest. <n/t>