AT&T Strikes Agreement With Midwest Union18,000 CWA workers impacted in five states... 02:58PM Thursday Jul 16 2009 by Karl Bodetags: business · AT&T Midwest · AT&T SouthwestAT&T this morning reached out to us to note that after four months of negotiations, the telecom giant has struck a tentative agreement in the company's Midwest Region with the CWA. "This agreement covers some 18,500 employees in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio," AT&T spokesman Seth Bloom tells Broadband Reports. "Negotiations are continuing is all of our other regions, for contracts cover employees in every part of the country," says Bloom. Negotiations between AT&T and its union employees had broken down back in April, with workers authorizing a strike as a last resort.
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Iknowenuff
join:2001-06-28
Riverside, CA | Only a small portion... Compared to the still unresolved negotiations in the south and west that are still far apart at the table. But nice try AT&T. That tentative agreement wont be ratified untill all regions have a fair contract. | |
|  | jtackett
join:2000-11-02
Atlanta, GA
| Re: Only a small portion... "This is a tentative agreement until ratified by majority vote of members voting in a secret ballot election. Those ballots must be received back by August 6th and will be counted on August 7th. Our elected Bargaining Committee unanimously recommends ratification of this agreement." This from the CWA District 4 website.. | |
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cameronsfx
join:2009-01-08
Pensacola, FL
 ·Cox HSI
 ·magicjack.com
 ·Verizon Wireless B..
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| said by Iknowenuff  :Compared to the still unresolved negotiations in the south and west that are still far apart at the table. But nice try AT&T. That tentative agreement wont be ratified untill all regions have a fair contract. Nope, District 4 settling (closed shop states) gives CWA NO leverage in other districts that are right to work states.
District 4 just handed the rest of the company's unions are bad contract.
AT&T's win in District 4 will be reality in all other districts next month. So, however you look at it, District 4 screwed the rest of the company's union workers. Now T can tell the others, "District 4 settled for this (what we wanted anyway), so, why can't you?"
I wanted to see how the economy would affect unions so I watched the progress. T won big time. I posted this like 2 days ago: Contract Details
We are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on a new three year contract between CWA and AT&T Midwest. In these tough economic times, in the most economically depressed part of the country, we have reached an agreement that achieves our key goals:
1) Maintained and improved our Standard of Living
2) Protected Retirees
3) Enhanced employment security
There are changes in our health care that will result in increased out of pocket costs. However, when wages and the new company-funded tax-free Healthcare Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) are factored in, CWA members--from the highest paid to the lowest--are better off, on average, every year of this contract by thousands of dollars a year.
This was a very difficult set of negotiations and we are pleased to have reached such a positive conclusion. There will be a contract explanation meeting for Local officers this Friday, July 17th, who will then hold local explanation meetings over the next few weeks. A detailed summary will also be mailed to every member along with their ratification ballot early next week. This is a tentative agreement until ratified by majority vote of members voting in a secret ballot election. Those ballots must be received back by August 6th and will be counted on August 7th. Our elected Bargaining Committee unanimously recommends ratification of this agreement.
Meanwhile, here are some of the highlights on the key issues of the new tentative agreement.
Wages - 3% Retroactive to 4/5/09, 3% April 2010, 2.75% (plus COLA) April 2011.
Prem Techs - $3.25/hour every step, retroactive to April 5th, instead of percentage wage increase.
Will get in third year COLA if applicable.
Health Care
Maintained Current Plan Rules and Contractual Rights
Monthly Premium - $35 single/$75 family
Preventative - no deductible, no coinsurance
Deductible - $350/$700
Co-insurance - 10%/40% (Out of Network)
Out of Pocket Maximum - $1,000/$3,000
$3,000/$6,000 (OON)
No Co-pays
Individual Basis for deductibles and OOP
Current employees that retire will have multiple options available to them.
Prescription Coverage
Copays - 10/20/40 twice co-pay for 3 month supply mail order
Copays non-network - 75%
Separate OOP max $900/$1,800
Individual Basis for OOP
Dental - Same as today.
Vision - Same as today with one exception unique to Midwest.
Life Insurance
Frozen at 12/31/09 wage level for current employees/New Hires - $15,000
Create New Tax-Free Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA)
Active Employees will get:
$450/$900 Year 1 (also SSP - see below)
$300/$600 Year 2 "
0/0 Year 3 "
In Years 1 & 2, stock appreciation portion of SSP applies to HRA. In Year 3, both dividend portion and appreciation apply to HRA.
HRA Future Retirees* - $850/$1700 Year 1
$150/$300 Year 2
0/0 Year 3
*HRA Funding levels will be based on healthcare enrollment status as of the 1st of the year.
Success Sharing Plan (SSP)
* Two parts
a) Dividend x 150
b) Appreciation in stock price, year over year x 150
All SSP payments to HRAs.
Pensions
2% - 2% - 2% (plus COLA using same formula as wages)
Preserved lump sum option for life of contract. 2012 - Start transition to PPA rate rather than GATT to calculate lump sum 25% transitions per year. However, agreement to make whole anyone who retires prior to April 1st, 2012, if the GATT interest rate produces a higher lump sum amount.
New Hires
Same medical.
New Hires BCB2 cash balance pension with lump sum option.
New Hires Future Retirees - ATT will pay 50% Medical.
Employment Security
Article 26 - Employment Security - kept Employment Security commitment language, kept job language.
FAA (Force Adjustment Area) - approximate 35 mile radius to more fairly manage surplus.
Up front pooling of titles in FAA - Service Tech and CSS titles. Could bump Prem Tech. All I&M can bump Prem Tech. Construction usually more senior still can bump up to 10%.
Protected 2004-2009 hires under new regional employment security language.
Data Comm
Moved to core (Appendix).
Got their own Employment Security Commitment (Job Offer Guarantee).
Obtained other Datacom employment security improvements.
Leveraged Titles
1) Provide protections to assure existing Service Reps are not forced to become "leveraged" as well as provide enhanced employment security for existing Service Reps through "pooling" of titles in a surplus.
2) Limited scope. If Management wants to expand "leverage" program to any other title, they must bargain to agreement (not impasse).
3) Service reps can try Leverage title for up to 6 months with return rights at same location.
4) Leverage funding (40%) increases with wage increases that impact base (60%).
Prem Techs
1) Guaranteed weekend off a month - will be scheduled M-F for that week. Three states in MW have unlimited overtime in core.
2) Penalty payment for canceling of hours. If canceled less than 12 hours before tour, 2 hours pay. If canceled after report, 8 hours pay.
3) Gave additional duties with clear written definitions of what they can do and what core techs do.
National
Renewed Card Check Agreement
Recognition for Video Hub Technicians
President's Council renewed
National Transfer Plan - The Company has agreed to modify the external job posting system to provide, for employees who choose to participate, a National Transfer Plan.
Other Items
Retroactivity to April 5th for Wages and Arbitration rights.
Temps/Terms converted prior to ratification are current employees. Temps/Terms converted after ratification are new employees.
»district4.cwa-union.org/news/cwa···-91.html | |
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Iknowenuff
join:2001-06-28
Riverside, CA
| Re: Only a small portion... I disagree. You dont have the previous contract in front of you. if you did you would see that the district 4 contract is almost unchanged. In other words they had a 'bad' contract to begin with (compared to district 9). With that said they are getting an 8% raise over 3 years and there healthcare is ot changing. The only bad i see is the handling of the prem techs. But that contract wont be ratified untill all the districts come to an agreement. Its one of CWAs bargaining chips. Being a member and steward of CWA district 9, I know what i'm talking about. | |
| | | | | | | | | cerone
join:2001-10-28
Hialeah, FL
| Re: Only a small portion... District 3, I think, will be the deal maker for the entire country...our contract, formally Bellsouth, is up in August that is why the rest of CWA hasn't gone on strike yet. I think what we come up with with, the rest will follow...but things can change...we will see... | |
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unionify1
@sbcglobal.net
| district 4 and ibew ARE NOT RIGHT TO WORK STATES.If everybody would strike we might stand a chance at getting something better.No one district is the tie breaker,District 6 screwed up never should have strong armed the man,everybody should understand this contract and future contracts are gonna be tough.If you want to hate district4 and ibew go right ahead give the company what they want,everyone has a problem with the deal.Nobody has made a decision on to vote for it or not if the govt. steps in we might lose more or vice versa,when you talk about,we(dist.4) got alot of things the other districts don't have and probably won't get.If we vote in favor of it everybody else will too,if we walk away from the table call strike they can't back fill with people off the streets in all the other district can the backbone is in dist.4 | |
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bobgwen
join:2001-07-07
Bartow, FL
·Comcast
| said by cameronsfx :said by Iknowenuff :I disagree. You dont have the previous contract in front of you. if you did you would see that the district 4 contract is almost unchanged. In other words they had a 'bad' contract to begin with (compared to district 9). With that said they are getting an 8% raise over 3 years and there healthcare is ot changing. The only bad i see is the handling of the prem techs. But that contract wont be ratified untill all the districts come to an agreement. Its one of CWAs bargaining chips. Being a member and steward of CWA district 9, I know what i'm talking about. Why hasn't CWA struck then? They know they can't. They'll end up caving to this agreement too. CWA allowed Prem Techs to get screwed. T is playing hardball and they want to break you. Funny, I've seen posts from other Union Stewards who hate District 4 for selling out just 3 weeks before the BellSouth contract expires. You'll end up with this contract too and CWA executives exclaiming, "We got you a great contract!" CWA has no public support and a strike would be a disaster for the Union. Obama already screwed the UAW and he'll probably order you all back to work. T won the first round. Unless you strike, you ain't getting a better deal. You sent Union Stewards to a snake pit. Then, T starts the layoffs. District 4 people on Yahoo hate the deal. But, I bet the CWA somehow manages to get it passed fixing the vote (as usual). District 4 caved in and sold out their members!!! I hope the rest of the districts see through this!!
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cameronsfx
join:2009-01-08
Pensacola, FL
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
·Verizon Wireless B..
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Only a small portion... said by bobgwen :said by cameronsfx :said by Iknowenuff :I disagree. You dont have the previous contract in front of you. if you did you would see that the district 4 contract is almost unchanged. In other words they had a 'bad' contract to begin with (compared to district 9). With that said they are getting an 8% raise over 3 years and there healthcare is ot changing. The only bad i see is the handling of the prem techs. But that contract wont be ratified untill all the districts come to an agreement. Its one of CWAs bargaining chips. Being a member and steward of CWA district 9, I know what i'm talking about. Why hasn't CWA struck then? They know they can't. They'll end up caving to this agreement too. CWA allowed Prem Techs to get screwed. T is playing hardball and they want to break you. Funny, I've seen posts from other Union Stewards who hate District 4 for selling out just 3 weeks before the BellSouth contract expires. You'll end up with this contract too and CWA executives exclaiming, "We got you a great contract!" CWA has no public support and a strike would be a disaster for the Union. Obama already screwed the UAW and he'll probably order you all back to work. T won the first round. Unless you strike, you ain't getting a better deal. You sent Union Stewards to a snake pit. Then, T starts the layoffs. District 4 people on Yahoo hate the deal. But, I bet the CWA somehow manages to get it passed fixing the vote (as usual). District 4 caved in and sold out their members!!! I hope the rest of the districts see through this!! Well, one got it.
Prem Techs are really ticked they got screwed on pay and old union workers can kick them out of a job. Nice work, CWA. | |
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badidea
thumbs down from:
StarFish267
| striking doesn't seem smart In this economy, haven't the unions pretty much lost the ability to strike? Doing such a thing during prosperous economic times is usually ill-informed, but with the real prospect of having no job to come back to, doesn't is seem really dumb?
I just think that threatening a strike is a bunch of hot air, and for better or worse, the company has the upper hand in these negotiations. a lousy situation could just get worse for the employees if the union actually can convince their members that a strike is the smart thing to do to get action from management. | |
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ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
1 edit | Re: striking doesn't seem smart In these hard economic times, they all should be lucky they have jobs. Heck, every worker out there should be lucky they're still alive. Look at all the dead people who would like to be in their spot instead of a few feet into the ground.
If their employer tells them to jump, they should reply by asking "how high master?" If they're handed a bowl of dog food and told to eat, they better eat. During these times, all respect for one's self should be thrown out the door. | |
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DivineDark
join:2001-08-30
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:
| Re: striking doesn't seem smart said by ninjatutle :They all should be lucky they have jobs. Heck, every worker out there should be lucky they're still alive. Look at all the dead people who would like to be in their spot instead of a few feet into the ground. If their employer tells them to jump, they should replay by asking "how high master?" If they're handed a bowl of dog food and told to eat, they better eat. During these times, all respect for one's self should be thrown out the door. Your description of what it's like for a lot of employees that do not have the benefit of a union in their workplace is spot on.  | |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
1 edit | Re: striking doesn't seem smart said by pnh102 :said by DivineDark :Your description of what it's like for a lot of employees that do not have the benefit of a union in their workplace is spot on. That is just plain stupid. Most non-union workers enjoy good pay, good benefits, decent working conditions and are no more or less likely to lose their jobs than union workers. It all depends.
I work for a non-union employer. My wife works for a union employer.
However, in my industry (television/entertainment) many of the other similar shops are union. We even have some union employees.
I will say that as a full time employee I enjoy decent pay, regular raises and decent benefits. There is also corporate policy that gives us protection against many things, as well as federal and state labor laws.
But my wife's job has even more than that. Her (and my) healthcare is 100% paid for by her employers, for example. I've also not seen anyone fired there for anything other than stealing (includes falsifying time worked) or threats of physical harm. Not even sexual harrassment will get you fired on the spot believe it or not, all it will get you is maybe a warning and some counseling. In private sector jobs they'll terminate you for things like performance. You really won't find much of that in union environments.
I used to work as a contractor at a couple other companies and you could be there today, gone tomorrow basically. A lot of companies hired contractors because they know they can replace them at a moment's notice.
Do I prefer one over the other? Well, I consider myself a go getter and prefer to negotiate on my own terms. I'm comfortable with my current situation quite honestly. My base pay and increases in pay I've gotten are much better than what I'd get if a union had negotiated it for me. Benefits are good, better than some union shops. The healthcare isn't as generous as a union shop, but as I mentioned we have that covered. But I do have pension (in addition to 401k with company match) and other little things like tuition reimbursement and a wide variety of employee discounts. But the big downside I can see is that job security isn't as good as a union job. I can see where some people would prefer the security of a union environment. It certainly is attractive for that reason - job security. | |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Re: striking doesn't seem smart In this day and age I don't see unions providing any real job security anymore. Consider GM, Ford and Chrysler, they have laid off tens of thousands of unionized employees. It is also far easier for unionized manufacturing jobs to be offshored than ever before.
The only types of jobs where this can't happen to the same extent are the ones that must be done here, i.e., people who work on telephone lines, mining, and whatnot. But that job security doesn't come from unionization, but rather it comes from the fact that the place of employment can't really be moved.
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Blagojevich / Madoff 2012! | |
| | | | | | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| Sounds like your Wife's union has the company around their finger. She should have my brother's Union in Cali. Where if you speak anything but English around your co-workers you get fired on the spot no buts about it. Yes that does happen. It's call all About "safety".
He fires several employees a day for doing that, and the best part is that "union" can't do shit since the state of Cali agrees with the company. | |
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TheoW
@bellsouth.net
| That is just plain stupid. Most non-union workers enjoy good pay, good benefits, decent working conditions and are no more or less likely to lose their jobs than union workers.
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Stop drinking the kool-aid dude.. Managers at AT&T received no raises this year, suffered increased work loads due to staff cuts, and paid more for healthcare. People are working 12-13hrs days and are still "on call" in their off hours and are expected to work like slaves just because we are managers - which means we get no O/T. The statement that we are "less likely to lose jobs" is so far from the truth that its almost comical. For the last 8 years non-union folks in the telecom industry have seen their jobs outsourced and offshored all under the guise of saving the company money and maintaining competitiveness. We get pink slips even if we do our jobs well and executive leadership continues to make one strategic blunder after another and they get bonuses from the board to "retain top talent." | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Having a union does not guarantee jobs or even nice working conditions.
Union: Employee = human robot, do this, no less, and especially no more. Very little chance of promotion, no matter your education, grade school drop out, or MBA, you'll all get paid the same. No incentives to improve, very little say in how business actually gets done. On the 'positive' seniority = safety net to a certain degree. Management can shutdown a factory and can thousands of employees at a shot.
Non Union: Work harder, or we'll out source you to a best shore location. Working for the right company/management, will allow you to move around/move up, or be outsourced. It has more risks, but it also has potential benefits. Potential in these times means holding that carrot out in front of you until you drop, or are ambitious enough to bypass it altogether.
I've worked in both union and management. | |
| | | | | | | | | sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH
| Re: striking doesn't seem smart "I don't need a Union to look out for me as I know that I have the skills to make it without them. I don't understand why that is so hard for the Union people to grasp? People need to realize that it's not the company's responsibility to look out for them, they need to do that for themselves."
Ok, there are so many misconceptions here I don't know where to start. First off, your current pay and benefits are the direct result of negotiations unions have made with employers over the decades. It would look bad for a company to pay non-union employees less, and it's also in their interest to promote non-union employees over union ones to undermine the power unions have.
Second, the people in a union *are* looking out for themselves by being a part of the union.
Third, it is not ethical for a company to throw their employees under a bus, or to leave them to their own devices when they have problems. | |
| | | sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH | Heh. Nice one ninja. Honestly though I think people who hate unions really believe this. | |
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badidea
| way to take things out of context.
Where is it I said that this was a good thing, and that all should fall at the corporation's feet.
I was simply reflecting on the fact that those that have jobs right now are sort of stuck with what they have. As an engineer, I certainly feel that way, and I have nothing to do with a union, but as my benefits are reduced, and pay and bonuses have been halted for the past 18 months, I see little room for standing up and disagreeing. It just makes poor economic sense for me.
I guess in a union today things may be different, but when I was in two unions previously (teamsters, and AFSCME) they refused to do anything to help me, and I felt no more secure in my job there than I do now.
My main thrust of my comment was that unfortunately management has the upper hand right now because they are doling out the wages. hang in there and give it a while and unions will again gain back some of their powers of negotiation. | |
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telworker
join:2009-04-15
| Re: striking doesn't seem smart said by bellhead1970 :
It takes about 5 years at bell to learn the job fully, so they cannot hire 18,500 off the street in one day and expect to keep the operations side going. Most of the craft people have between 10 to 25 years on the job.
Lots of contractors with years of experience and retired telco workers waiting to go.
BRING IT ON ALREADY!!! | |
| | | | patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| said by badidea :
Doing such a thing during prosperous economic times is usually ill-informed, but with the real prospect of having no job to come back to, doesn't is seem really dumb?
Utilities have fixed costs. Unless you abandon customers and plant (not happening or else stockholders will revolt when they read about the PUC fines in the annual report), they won't be firing most of the workers. | |
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DivineDark
join:2001-08-30
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:
| Still could be voted down This agreement is only tentative as stated. It still has to be voted in by CWA members. It still could be voted down and a strike issued. Here it is. Not exactly living the lavish lifestyle like some seem to think.
»district4.cwa-union.org/news/cwa···-91.html | |
| sbcretired
join:2006-01-07
Scottville, MI | Contract? I retired from SBC Midwest in 2003. I have followed the negotiations (my retirement benefits are at risk too) with much interest.
It isnt a contract to be boasting on the increases the Union brought in, the devil is in the details. | |
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rasqual
@illinois.net
| Gah! Again! There's that "reach out" locution again.
I've heard it a lot in our various projects with AT&T. They're always telling me they'll "reach out" to me, or someone, or something, next week or sometime.
It really gets weird after a while.  | |
| | jester121
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL | Re: Gah! Again! It's the new business buzzword for about the past year or so. I've tired of it myself..... but whatever comes next will be just as cheesy. | |
| 
ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
| Anti-Union Union Unions worked good for what they were worth in a burgeoning economic times in this country and many others. Sometime in the mid to late eighteenth century their benefits started to dwindle as their focus became more "corporate" so to speak. They were no longer there for the benefit of their individual members, but the survival of their bottom line. They actually make inflation worse, and can push up the cost of living to a point where companies can no longer afford to hire a workforce, are subsequently forced to deal with an employee shortage (or complete lack thereof) depriving that immediate economy of workers & goods. Causing a rise in unemployment, a drop in buying power of each individual person, and the cycle self-inflicts.
In times like these it's not just the Unions either. Greedy corporate infrastructure can be just as bad if not worse.
But how do we solve this problem? Strike? I think not. That IS just plain ignorant. In a time when it's hard enough living check to check your union expects you to STOP working entirely, and whine about getting more money, or better health care, or whatever the gripe is about until the corporate body backs down, all in the meanwhile collecting unemployment through tax dollars of the people that are still working in some cases. What their doing is holding YOU the worker ransom for this end. In my book that's grounds for immediate termination, both strikers and unions alike. As a company in these times affording to pay the costs involved in continuing to operate can be daunting enough without worrying that your workforce is gonna suddenly "strike", at the behest of their "leaders".
Bottom line:
Unions are essentially becoming too much like a monopoly, causing an increase in unemployment through striking and forcing the price of labor to rise above that which is termed the "equilibrium wage" (see: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equilibrium_price). Also due to the fact that the price of labor is raised above the equilibrium, deadweight loss (see: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadweight_loss) is created. Additionally non-monetary benefits have been proven to exacerbate the problem even further.
References:
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition···e_unions
--
Would you like your ISP to govern how much you can use the web in a month? Well it might happen if we don't do something NOW! »www.ipetitions.com/petition/PMDBI/ | |
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See 6 replies to this post | |
Tel
join:2001-10-12
Mauldin, SC | They're always approved I've gone through some terrible contracts and if they were voted against 100%, I think they would still have passed. After seeing the details of this one, I would probably vote against it also, but you can probably still take this one to the bank. | |
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Tel
join:2001-10-12
Mauldin, SC
·AT&T Southeast
| It's hard for me to be objective on this contract and I probably shouldn't read too much into it. Our contracts have always been completely different due to cost of living and other factors. I expect our's won't look too much like it, at least I hope it doesn't. | |
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RiseAbove
IreCruitU
Premium
join:2004-01-30
| ATT is being extremely cheap ATT had a record profit year last year yet they continue to grind away at peoples benefits and commission structures. I think the Unions needed to step up and make some kind of gesture about strike, even though we all know they never would. The CWA has absolutely zero teeth when it comes to anything and they would of never issued a strike.
ATT on the other hand have been taking more and more out of the pockets of the people who are making them the money yet never seem to realize it. I use to work for them and I still have a few dear friends who continue to work inside of that place and I continue to hear how things keep getting worse and worse. Commissions are now half of what they use to be, benefits are being jacked up, employee cellphone plans are jacking up in price, etc etc. They are being nickel and dimed to death and it needs to stop. I'm tired of people who say, "well the economy is bad they should just be happy they have a job." I find that logic and train of thought very disingenuous when it comes to ones own personal respect for how hard a good portion of people work. People should be rewarded for their work, not slapped down and turn into corporate slaves all because the economy is bad. In the good and bad you need to have respect for yourself and not have the boot put to your neck at every turn. If you are one of those people who will cave at every turn I'm sorry you live that way because you aren't living life you are living it under other peoples power and not your own.
Anyways back to story I have a feeling the new agreement is still a lot more concessions on the part of the Union than ATT. It happened the last two times an agreement was made so I don't expect it to stop now.
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Looking to get into Avaya telco if you might be in that field hit me up I have a lot of questions. | |
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Youre an Idiot
@mycingular.net
thumbs down from:
StarFish267
| Re: ATT is being extremely cheap You are not the owner of the company. You have no say in its strategy. You have no say in its direction. Stop thinking that somehow your blue-collar means more than it does. You already have absolute control over your career and life. You are NOT required to work for any company or job that you are unhappy with.
If you ever find yourself living in a bad neighborhood with drug dealers on every side, I hope you aren't suggesting that you're going to 'not cave in' and continue to live in that neighborhood. I hope you pick up and move to a better area that makes living happy. Life is more about being happy and not feeling like you have to fight all the time. | |
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RiseAbove
IreCruitU
Premium
join:2004-01-30
| Re: ATT is being extremely cheap said by Youre an Idiot :
You are not the owner of the company. You have no say in its strategy. You have no say in its direction. Stop thinking that somehow your blue-collar means more than it does. You already have absolute control over your career and life. You are NOT required to work for any company or job that you are unhappy with.
If you ever find yourself living in a bad neighborhood with drug dealers on every side, I hope you aren't suggesting that you're going to 'not cave in' and continue to live in that neighborhood. I hope you pick up and move to a better area that makes living happy. Life is more about being happy and not feeling like you have to fight all the time.
A big time LOL at this comment. Hilarious. Who is saying they are unhappy with the actual job? In fact the people I still know in ATT actually like their job very much.
I agree we don't have to fight all the time with our employers but what is wrong with asking for respect from them? Basically you are trying to excuse their behavior by saying, "don't like it go some where else" which is ridiculous. Why not try and make them more liable for their behavior and push them to treat their employees fairly? In your little analogy it would mean running from every job that you felt slighted instead of trying to be treated like a real human when the times get tough. You essentially want people to either cave in or get the hell out, the mind boggles at the stupidity in logic.
Plus your little drug dealer story is bogus, many people try to clean up their behavior in those circumstances because it helps not only create a better atmosphere but it also raises property values. Life is about being happy that is why people, people unlike you obviously, don't mind taking on a challenge and a fight to make things better.
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Looking to get into Avaya telco if you might be in that field hit me up I have a lot of questions. | |
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ATT CSS
@ameritech.net
 from:
StarFish267
| HA HA You guys are sooooo funny, look at Europe and their labor unions. They DO have power, the only reason labor unions dont have power anymore here in the states is because of the damn government and lobbyists. There are so many labor laws that actually detract from what the unions are actually fighting for. And that is rediculus. Thats what the companies and the government want. To have the same power as the unions in Europe would scare the bejeezuz out of the companies and government here. I say strike you bastards, stick it to them and make it hurt. Damn the economy and ATT! ATT was and still is making record profits. | |
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Iknowenuff
join:2001-06-28
Riverside, CA
| 12.9 Billion A little info for those of you who may not know. AT&T made over 12.9 billion last year. A direct result of its union workers. All while paying for its employees healthcare benefits. 12.9 billion in profit. They are not the auto industry. They want to shift healthcare costs to there employees not because they can't afford it or due to lack of profits. simply because they feel they can get away with it in this economic atmosphere. They want you to believe every business is suffering and thats not the case. CWA is not making outrageous demands. They want there members to simply keep what they have in light of the companies RECORD PROFITS of 12.9 BILLION. And they are projected to be just as profitable this year if not more. And I will not even respond to those who said lucky to have a job. That is pure ignorance in and of itself. I work hard. You are the one lucky to be alive, not me. | |
| | sides14
join:2007-11-29
Glendale, AZ | Re: 12.9 Billion AT&T didn't make 12.9 billion in profit from the union members. Remember, wireline is decreasing (which means less revenue). | |
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StarFish267
join:2005-11-25
Fort Worth, TX | Re: 12.9 Billion Wireline is not decreasing this is a myth. They are porting them all over to U-verse Voice! | |
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union1ify
@sbcglobal.net
| contract District 4 and ibew is holding this thing together right to work states have no leverage.You walk away they back fill you with new hires not saying tht they can do the job, but they'll learn it just like you did.district 4 walk away they've got to fill this area with managers until they lock us out.I don't like the prem tech portion of the deal.but the health care portion isn't that bad , if anybody thought we would still get free health care wake up, it's still better than approx.63% of americans I don't want to give in to the small print or what ever is happening under the table.And ur right they want to settle with district 4 because of the rules they will have to adhere to if they don't.(STILL ONE UNION/ONE FIGHT) | |
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Save not spend
@mycingular.net
| The economy sucks because of you. The company made money, and you want them to spend it all on you. That's the typical attitude of the people who caused and are in such financial straits: spenders not savers.
What would be a good contract? I see almost 9% increase over 3 years in the tentative contract. Would a good contract be 20% increase in pay over the life of the contract? 40%? 100%? What's the magic % that all of a sudden makes the CWA say, "That's it. We don't have to fight anymore."
How much should you contribute to your own health-care? 8%? 2%? 0%? What's the magic number that is acceptable? Free health-care for your parents, kids, pets, relations, neighbors, and friends?
How much money should the company be allowed to keep for itself? What's the magic number while the rest goes to union labor? $1,000,000 in profit? $300,000?
And let's be honest, the money the company made last year came from the Wireless acquistion of Cingular, which was not unionized. So stop taking another division's credit. Cingular did quite well for itself without any union involvement. | |
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DivineDark
join:2001-08-30
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:
| Re: The economy sucks because of you. And let's be honest, the money the company made last year came from the Wireless acquistion of Cingular, which was not unionized. So stop taking another division's credit. Cingular did quite well for itself without any union involvement.
False! »eclipptv.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=1430 | |
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bobgwen
join:2001-07-07
Bartow, FL
·Comcast
| Re: The economy sucks because of you. said by DivineDark :And let's be honest, the money the company made last year came from the Wireless acquistion of Cingular, which was not unionized. So stop taking another division's credit. Cingular did quite well for itself without any union involvement.
False! » eclipptv.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=1430 That is a lot of B.S. Cingular was unionized back in the 90's. I talked to a lot of Cingular techs when I used to install and repair the T-1 lines going into the cell sites.
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Esteban Colberto for President of Cuba | |
| | cwire
join:2007-06-07
Bedford, KY
·AT&T Southeast
| oh your right the wireless division that just fell out of the sky and started making tons of cash.....oh wait, it didn't happen like that did it. sbc,verizon, and bellsouth built the wireless networks of today using cash generated by their respective landline divisions didn't they. without the wireline guys paying the bills for the last 100 years, there wouldn't of been a cingular. so i would say there was quite a bit of union involvement at your precious cingular. | |
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Catmando
Catmando
Premium
join:2002-10-22
Montgomery, IL
clubs: | IBEW Not inclueded It's a great thing that IBEW is not included in this mess. Over12 Billion in profits last year and this how you take care of your people? For once back the people who help make the profit.. | |
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Re: striking doesn't seem smart
