| Regulators blew it when demanded unmeetable conditions The regulators from the 3 states blew it when they demanded that Fairpoint meet conditions for approval that they KNEW where not feasible. In effect, they blackmailed promises from Fairpoint they knew that Fairpoint would never meet. They should have either approved the deal WITHOUT conditions or denied it all together. But the regulators played politics for the voters and made it look like they were looking out for their best interests.
When Verizon decided to pull out, the only rational choice for the state regulators was an approval without conditions and the end of union work rules. That they did not do that brought this whole mess on themselves.
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 SteveConIBEW 2222 Boston, MAPremium
join:2004-09-02
Boston, MA
2 edits | said by fAcEtIOUs:The regulators from the 3 states blew it when they demanded that Fairpoint meet conditions for approval that they KNEW where not feasible. In effect, they blackmailed promises from Fairpoint they knew that Fairpoint would never meet. They should have either approved the deal WITHOUT conditions or denied it all together. But the regulators played politics for the voters and made it look like they were looking out for their best interests. When Verizon decided to pull out, the only rational choice for the state regulators was an approval without conditions and the end of union work rules. That they did not do that brought this whole mess on themselves. Why can't you let go of your "unions ruin everything" mentality? Unions don't run companies, management does. The deals with the PUCs were brokered by management, not the unions. Upper management came to an agreement with labor and signed a contract with the IBEW & CWA ahead of the contract's expiration - there was no lockout or strike.
Inept managers said they could make this work - the unions (among others - including many lower level "then VZ" managers) warned everyone otherwise. But no one listened. Managers patted themselves on the back for completing the deal while everyone else waited for it to all come crashing down. Management promised something that they couldn't deliver, not labor.
Management is 100% responsible for this mess. They have potentially ruined the livelihood of thousands of FairPoint employees in northern New England, and thrown their customers in the whole region (and maybe their entire footprint) into even more chaos due to uncertainty than when they were "running the business"
Way to go FairPoint upper management!
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UNIONS: The anti-theft device for working people. |
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said by fAcEtIOUs:The regulators from the 3 states blew it when they demanded that Fairpoint meet conditions for approval that they KNEW where not feasible. In effect, they blackmailed promises from Fairpoint they knew that Fairpoint would never meet. They should have either approved the deal WITHOUT conditions or denied it all together. But the regulators played politics for the voters and made it look like they were looking out for their best interests. When Verizon decided to pull out, the only rational choice for the state regulators was an approval without conditions and the end of union work rules. That they did not do that brought this whole mess on themselves. nobody twisted fairpoints arm to go ahead with the deal and the conditions... They had the abilty to walk away but CHOSE not to... |
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So you blame the states for imposing conditions that Fairpoint agreed to follow?
Most people would consider that the fault of Fairpoint for agreeing to the conditions. They had the opportunity to walk from the deal when the PUC's imposed the conditions on the deal, they chose to go forward with the knowledge that they couldn't do it. That in my mind is where the management stepped over a legal boundary. They made a binding agreement with the government that they failed to meet. At the least their jobs and reputations should be in jeopardy and hopefully the states will pursue aggressive action including breaking up the company or forfeiture of assets including last mile lines and hopefully at least one of the states has a criminal statue baring this foreknowledge of an inability to meet contractual requirements with government that will enable criminal prosecution of the management. |
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Agreed. |
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 tim_kButtons, Bows, Beamer, Shadow, KaseyPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-02
Stewartstown, PA
kudos:13 | reply to SteveCon
Re: Regulators blew it when demanded unmeetable conditions said by SteveCon:Management is 100% responsible for this mess. They have potentially ruined the livelihood of thousands of FairPoint employees in northern New England, and thrown their customers in the whole region (and maybe their entire footprint) into even more chaos due to uncertainty than when they were "running the business" Way to go FairPoint upper management! quote:
FairPoint Communications' top executive received $1.2 million in salary, bonus and stock awards last year, including a 30 percent increase in his base salary after the company's purchase of Verizon's landline network in northern New England.
»pressherald.mainetoday.com/story···d=254570
One thing you can always count on when these types of deals are made. The top executives will always make out like bandits. Just watch, soon they will be asking for concessions from the union and will lobby the court to allow 'retention bonuses' for top executives.
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RIP my babies Buttons 1/15/94-2/9/07, Beamer 7/24/08, & Bows 12/17/94-10/11/09 |
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