anneal
@qwest.net
| Strike No one can realistically expect, given Qwests economic woes and stock decline that the union workers are going to keep being able to receive medical benefits without sharing the costs... the majority of the working world has to do this. If we truly want to see jobs return to the US... if we truly want to be a union who supports all in the company... then we have to expect a realistic contract... Economic times nation wide are showing we cannot do without wages... we cannot do without a job. I don't want to see Qwest have the opportunity to "let" Union workers go in favor of new hires or out sourcing. I cannot afford a strike and I don't want to lose my job. | |
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no_one
@QWEST.NET
| Re: Strike said by anneal :
No one can realistically expect, given Qwests economic woes and stock decline that the union workers are going to keep being able to receive medical benefits without sharing the costs... the majority of the working world has to do this. If we truly want to see jobs return to the US... if we truly want to be a union who supports all in the company... then we have to expect a realistic contract... Economic times nation wide are showing we cannot do without wages... we cannot do without a job. I don't want to see Qwest have the opportunity to "let" Union workers go in favor of new hires or out sourcing. I cannot afford a strike and I don't want to lose my job.
So massive givebacks maybe a one or two percent raise. Maybe some other contract wording designed for Qwest. You might have a job but not much of one. The problems at Qwest were not caused by the workers. The new CEO is getting $17 million his first partial year. In that time the stock has slipped from $9 to less than $4. The problems at Qwest are not being felt by higher ups or caused by the lower workers including the lower level management..
Honestly you do not sound like a long term Qwest worker. | |
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anneal_arride
@iauq.com
| Re: Strike I am and I want to remain so. Unions once had their place... now they simply allow companies to outsource jobs to avoid utilizing them or paying them. I don't want to see any of us lose our jobs... the economy and job market is in a downward spiral as it is. I do not have entitlement issues... I am willing to work and be judged on the merits of my work and someday.. maybe even I could be a lower level management...
I am a realist and someone who understands that no matter how ill used employees feel... NO CEO etc is ever going to be forced to take a cut in salarty... they will just downsize and outsource. Our country does not penalize business for sending our jobs oversees... they have everything to gain by doing so and nothing to lose by forcing Union employees out. | |
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qwestIA
@qwest.net | i'm a qwest tech in IA and ther is no way we will pay 400$ a month. We are the least paid RBOC techs as it is!!!!! | |
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| BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Everett, MA
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| Re: Strike said by qwestIA :
i'm a qwest tech in IA and ther is no way we will pay 400$ a month. We are the least paid RBOC techs as it is!!!!!
Cry for me wahhhh !
try paying $850 for just you and your significant other. And make that mandatory like in Mass. Get a new job or look for improvements and roll with the new global market.
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"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" | |
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S_engineer
join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL | Re: Strike Maybe you should move to another state...and join a Union | |
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| | | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | Re: Strike True! And unions don't make the cost go down!
Maybe unions shouldn't be so damn greedy! | |
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| | | | ITALIAN926
join:2003-08-16
Stratford, CT | Re: Strike Why dont you shut up already, it really gets old... stop being jealous that you have crap benefits at your crap job. | |
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| | | | | | ITALIAN926
join:2003-08-16
Stratford, CT
1 edit | Re: Strike Yea, I have a 401k, PENSION that I can cash out right now for $500,000 if I decided to leave... fully paid medical, dental and vision, 5 weeks vacation, 4 personal days.. and Im more than doubling my salary in OT ! You do better than this?? Wow, lucky you.
All of this wouldnt be possible if we werent unionized . Why?? because greedy people like you run my company and would love to pay contractors $10 an hour with no benefits for the same work. This country would go right down the shitter. | |
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ihope
@swbell.net
| Re: Strike said by ITALIAN926  :Yea, I have a 401k, PENSION that I can cash out right now for $500,000 if I decided to leave... fully paid medical, dental and vision, 5 weeks vacation, 4 personal days.. and Im more than doubling my salary in OT ! You do better than this?? Wow, lucky you. All of this wouldnt be possible if we werent unionized . Why?? because greedy people like you run my company and would love to pay contractors $10 an hour with no benefits for the same work. This country would go right down the shitter. what you fail to realize is that the union party line of no givebacks and more more more are bankrupting companies. most of you would rather see the company go under than give a little back and stay in business. | |
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| | | | | | | | ITALIAN926
join:2003-08-16
Stratford, CT
1 edit | Re: Strike Giving a little back turns into a LOT down the line. Let the big corporations charge more for their services to properly treat their workers. Im not rich, and none of my co-workers are either. NEVER GIVE IN TO GIVEBACKS.
[sarcasm]Since youre so concerned about the status of Quest's profits, get your checkbook and make a donation. Set an example as to how the workers should GIVE BACK. Make a give back yourself.[/sarcasm] | |
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Corona
It's cool, I'm takin it back
Premium
join:2000-03-14
Aubrey, TX
1 edit | Re: Strike said by ITALIAN926 :...NEVER GIVE IN TO GIVEBACKS. does that mean the greed of the many outweighs the greed of the few or the one?
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"To be sincere, you don't have to know anything, you just say whatever makes you feel good and spin and smug circles in your tiny fucked up little head, happy as long as you're true to yourself. In other words, Sincerity is bullshit!" -Penn Jillette | |
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CWAproud
@qwest.net
| I'm a union member for Qwest, and as I remember what put this company in the toilet was Joe Nacho pulling an Enron scandal. He and his upper management cohorts single handily ruined this company and now the occupational employees have to pay the cost with a reduction in workforce and bending over backwards in cuts and balances during negotiations. Remember right after Nacho pulled his crap how the CWA members agreed to take no pay raises for 2 years and extend their current contract to help keep the company solvent? That was on the heel of a scandal that cost many workers over half of their retirement funds. We have guys to this day that can't afford to retire because of that. We kept this company from having to file bankruptcy with our extension and the thanks we get is the threat of having our healthcare premiums increased over 400%. We do pay some contribution to healthcare as it is. The rest of our unionized industry does not. So, the way I see it, we have bent over backwards to help this company survive and now that they have a little solvency and are gaining positive cashflow they have forgotten all we have done for them. I say strike, if we have to, to protect what we have all worked so hard for. | |
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hoff56501
@wcta.net | Re: Strike well said, I'm a co tech I'm MN and my feelings are with yours | |
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| | | | | | | | | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | don't be to sure about Qwest employees are the only ones in the Telco world that pays for insurance. it looks like ATT may be with you next. | |
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CWAproud
@qwest.net | Re: Strike I would imagine Joe Nacchio thought the exact same thing of himself as he was ripping off America. | |
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COT
@qwest.net | who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
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JOHN19969
@bellsouth.net
| DEAR MRS SUPERGIRL,
WE ARE ALL FASCINATED BY YOUR INFINITE WISDOM,WEALTH, AND RICHES. PLEASE GO ON AND TELL US MORE OF HOW YOU ACCOMPLISHED YOUR GREATNESS. THAT IS, IF YOU DETERMINE US TO BE WORTHY? YOU SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS FOR SUCH AN OVER ACHIEVER. | |
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| | | | | | Nik1108
VIP
join:2002-01-16
Nampa, ID | I thought we got over this my thing is bigger than your thing along time ago... I guess not *shrug* | |
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supergirl
join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL
 ·Cox VOIP
·Skype
·Cox HSI
 ·AT&T Southeast
·magicjack.com
| said by hottboiinnc :True! And unions don't make the cost go down! Maybe unions shouldn't be so damn greedy! Eventually, from a psychological standpoint to enforce that health care IS a cost of employing people, companies are going to start saying, "Add your health care premiums and you are really getting paid $60,000 not $54,000". Employees know it but don't know the real cost.
Unions ask for the same health care for ALL unionized employees. I think someone with lots of training doing this and a clerk doing a lot less maybe shouldn't get the same health care? That's just a brutal truth since our government doesn't care to tackle the problem.
But, like VZ's unions did, they screwed future employees for current and retirees. That doesn't make for a happy union eventually.
Small companies lay it on the line with employees--the business can't afford it. This is the cost. How do we do it? We can't unless you pay $300.00 a month in premiums and you make $25,000 in a job that requires really nothing but a high school education.
I know small businesses that are highly specialized and are now just hiring temps for secretarial work. I record my notes and have them transcribed. I dropped temps myself 3 years ago. And, I get 100% quality on the work now that I didn't before. And, it is less money. That is becoming economic reality for most small businesses.
The better computer software gets the less employees will be needed. 10 years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of just talking into a mic and see my notes transcribed right into Word. Soon, I'll be dropping the transcription service.
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Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl | |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX | Re: Strike Better get them Republicons to get you some more tax breaks. Gotta get you hiring folks with all that saved money. | |
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NordicOnTheEdge
@indra.com
| SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS!!! Sounds to me like you folks in Mass. need to fire your government and legislature. I'd suggest doing it out of a cannon, but you guys can't have those no more.
$650/month works out to $7500/year. The question that maybe you should be asking is do you USE that amount in medical services a year? If not, why are you paying it? It may be a wiser choice to pick up coverage with a high deductable and lower premiums that will cover the big stuff, and absorb the cost of routine check ups, meds and the like out of pocket. | |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX | When antibiotics cost 30 dollars a pill. A PILL! something has to be broken. | |
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Corona
It's cool, I'm takin it back
Premium
join:2000-03-14
Aubrey, TX
| said by BosstonesOwn :said by qwestIA :
i'm a qwest tech in IA and ther is no way we will pay 400$ a month. We are the least paid RBOC techs as it is!!!!!
Cry for me wahhhh ! try paying $850 for just you and your significant other. And make that mandatory like in Mass. Get a new job or look for improvements and roll with the new global market. so forced government health care is a great thing RIGHT? | |
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viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| said by anneal :
No one can realistically expect, given Qwests economic woes and stock decline that the union workers are going to keep being able to receive medical benefits without sharing the costs... the majority of the working world has to do this. If we truly want to see jobs return to the US... if we truly want to be a union who supports all in the company... then we have to expect a realistic contract... Economic times nation wide are showing we cannot do without wages... we cannot do without a job. I don't want to see Qwest have the opportunity to "let" Union workers go in favor of new hires or out sourcing. I cannot afford a strike and I don't want to lose my job.
I don't understand, and so have several problems with this thinking.
1. "No one can realistically expect, given Qwests economic woes and stock decline that the union workers are going to keep being able to receive medical benefits without sharing the costs"
We already do this in the form of deductibles, co-pays, enrollment fee, etc. Upper management doesn't pay, why should we? What economic woes? Qwest makes hundres of millions of dollars profit every year. And remember, the stock price doesn't affect the company directly, unless they need to sell more to finance operations or capital investment. Qwest is re-purchasing stock, so this is moot.
2. "If we truly want to see jobs return to the US..."
Most occupational work is on physical plant, so this can't be shipped overseas, so this statement is moot.
3. "if we truly want to be a union who supports all in the company"
Since when is it the job of the Union to support management? If they want representation, upper management just hires a law firm. If you are management, but not a manager, then organize (as Qwest Minnesota Engineers are attempting, here's rooting for you!!!!). The Union's job is to represent it's members.
4. "then we have to expect a realistic contract"
So you think it's realistic to expect a pay cut? That's what would happen under this proposal. No pay raise that the company would agree to would make up for $400 monthly premiums. Qwest has returned to making hundreds of millions a year profit, after dividends (Qwest is paying close to a %10 annual dividend, which is pretty high). They can afford to at least maintain the status quo with medical.
5. "Economic times nation wide are showing we cannot do without wages... we cannot do without a job."
HUH? When can we EVER do without wages or jobs? This makes no sense.
6. "I don't want to see Qwest have the opportunity to "let" Union workers go in favor of new hires or out sourcing."
This statement I agree with. It makes sense. However, if you think that Qwest can replace over 18,000 trained, skilled workers and maintain any degree of service, then you don't understand the industry. Telcos have always suffered thru strikes, but end up settling in the end, because management learns (the hard way, sometimes) that they CAN'T just wholesale replace people. And the company saying that management can run things is just ludicrous. Management has been cut to the bone, and many of them have no experience with the plant. Most managers are personnel managers, the techs actually run almost everything.
7. "I cannot afford a strike and I don't want to lose my job."
This statement has been the justification for scabs in every industry. What makes you think that I can afford a strike? What makes you think I want to loose my job? This is the primary reason for a Union. There is strength in numbers and solidarity. If we stand together, we will be treated fairly.
Here's my question for you anti-union types. Why is it ok for upper management to have a representative bargain a sweet deal, and not ok for me to have representation? Look a Qwest's earnings statement and listen to what they tell the investment community. While mass market land lines are shrinking (and they surplus employees as a result, lowering head count), they believe they can make that up on the business side. Some of the highest growth areas are in the west. And Qwest really does have a pretty good national network, and is selling bandwidth left and right. So, sorry to shatter some bubbles, but this company will be around for a loooooong time (unless there's a purchase, and in case noone noticed, V and T are Union shops). | |
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stressedout
@iauq.com
| Re: Strike With our Union numbers dwindling every year... companies do not want Union workers and eventually they won't have to hire any of us so there goes our representation. No one can expect to keep getting something for nothing. And no CEO is going to have his/her wages cut to support the needs of an employee. That is un realistic.
Where the minimum salary has increased, the over all salary for trained positions... is declining. A strike is something none of us can afford and none of us will be able to recoup the loss of wages and benefits that strike could ultimately create. Sorry... there will have to be some give and take. That is reality. | |
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