Frontier Ends Mandatory Overtime Emergency Status Union workers faced 70 hour work weeks to beat backlog In July, some Frontier Communications union employees complained about being forced to work mandatory paid overtime to help the transition of acquired Verizon DSL and landline users to Frontier. The workers were asked to work 70 hour weeks, in part, to help dig through the backlog of orders and trouble tickets in markets with a long history of Verizon neglect (like West Virginia). Those workers should be happy to know that Frontier has ended their "Extended Service Difficulty" status and has announced they've returned to business as usual: Frontier Communications notified its employees that effective midnight last night, the long-term service difficulty status ended, along with the mandatory overtime requirements for technicians and other support teams. These employees returned to their normal work schedules today. . . The Company implemented this emergency status on July 9 when a backlog of more than 3,000 orders and trouble reports were identified as carryover from the Verizon acquisition and as part of the heavy summer workload. Of course with that work backlog taken care of, the company can now get back to their imaginary nationwide fiber to the home deployment.
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  OmegaDisplaced OhioanPremium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY |  Complaining about work...
Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks.
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Road Runner
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| Re: Complaining about work... I'm fairly split on it.
On one hand, I think a 70 hour work week isn't something to complain about during a recession and with many unemployed.
On the other hand, I think thinking that way "Hey, be happy the overpaid CEOs deemed you worthy of a job" can very quickly lead to an erosion of workers rights and people settling for less and less. | |
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1 edit | Re: Complaining about work... said by Network Guy:said by Karl Bode: can very quickly lead to an erosion of workers rights Srsly? Workers still have such a thing? * puts on TK hat *
Yes, they have the right to shut the hell up or get canned.
* removes TK hat *
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TKJunkMail aliases - MIllIlITER, MMH, Golf N Sun | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Re: Complaining about work... said by michieru:TK is absolutely right, hell give me the job if you want to complain, I will work those hours and do "paid" overtime gladly. And once you injure yourself, they will find another guy to replace you while leaving you with the pleasure of trying to make them pay for your injury. It's only a 4 or 5 year battle these days
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BF69~~~Please stop suffocating gerbils! | |
| | | | | | | Reviews:
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·Clearwire Wireless
 ·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Complaining about work... That's fine because medical injuries on most companies will cover them, it's not like you are working under the table, fix me up and send me back out there. They will more than likely have someone fill my position for the time being or just down right replace me, but I have no problem with that because I will go to the next company that's hiring, it's just business and the reason why I work is to so I can support myself and a family in the future. Also if you stay in shape and take of yourself the less health problems you will have down the road. | |
| | | | | | | Reviews:
 ·WOW Internet and..
·Time Warner Cable
| it may take 4 or 5 years in IL but not in most states. You get your state hearings and go on with it for the $$$. or go to court and be done with it. why piss ass around when you have options to go and collect.
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www.twopugsbrand.com Kosher, Vegan, and Organic Certified Dog and Cat treats/foods and other products! www.etsy.com/shop/snakx4u/ Organic, Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegan Human Baked Goods | |
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| |  rawgerzIn Debt we trustPremium
join:2004-10-03
Grove City, PA | I won't soon forget how LONG and HOT this summer was, that sure would suck being out in that all day long and then some. Those guys must have been covered in mosquito bites on a daily basis too.
I guess Frontier wants perfect lines so they can cap them later on 
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You can't make all the people happy all of the time. But it should be common sense to shoot for the majority. | |
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| WA 425
join:2006-08-19
Lynnwood, WA | said by Omega:It still upsets me that with so many unemployed, these union employees were complaining about paid overtime. Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks. Why? Is it wrong to want to have a decent job and earn enough money to live on working 40 hours a week? Are we getting to the point where this is just a dream that only a few can hope to achieve?
And part of the reason we have so many unemployed is because companies are squeezing more and more productivity out of their workers. More profitable to force someone to work 70 hours a week than take on another worker and pay a whole new set of benefits. | |
| | | | | |  SLDPremium
join:2002-04-17
San Francisco, CA | Yep, this is what happens when businesses get drunk on cheap labor markets, importing B-1 visa workers or they have to compete against other businesses that do so.
The race to the bottom is in full swing! | |
| | | | | | | | | Reviews:
 ·magicjack.com
| Re: Complaining about work... said by blguy07:said by SLD:Yep, this is what happens when businesses get drunk on cheap labor markets, importing B-1 visa workers or they have to compete against other businesses that do so. Is really importing B-1 visa workers cheaper than hiring a us citizen or permanent resident? I would think with crazy fees for visa petition and application fees, they would actually stay away from that. It's definitely cheaper. H1B and L1B visa workers will work for less, and not complain. They can't just find another job. Their visa is tied to the sponsoring employer. The worker depends on the employer to sponsor their Adjustment of Status (AoS) to Permanent Resident (green card). That's what leads to the worker competing on a level playing field (able to change employers and work for the "highest bidder").
A friend of mine was openly told by an interviewer that the interview was just going through the motions to meet the requirements to sponsor an H1B. The interviewer wasn't happy about the situation either, and was just doing what he was told to do. But, he didn't hide it.
I believe most interviewers do hide it.
Employers will say H1Bs are highly educated, innovative leaders, etc. That may be true for some. But, the majority I've worked with just learned how to study and pass tests. They didn't learn how to be independent, creative, risk-taking. They needed someone to tell them the steps to follow. Once they had that, they were very talented at following those steps, documenting those steps, and asking for more steps. | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: Complaining about work... said by blguy07:The country I come from (Poland) emphasized this kind of logic, education nearly everywhere. And its even worse than you might think. I think we're headed to the same thing. Education has become a big business. Mostly due to changes in bankruptcy laws which make student debt non-dischargable in bankruptcy.
This created a condition called "moral hazard." The lenders and educators have no risk. If they can get students to sign on the dotted line, the school has the money. The lender has the fees. And the student owns all the downside risk of an ineffective education. If they don't earn what they were led to believe, they can't start over by filing bankruptcy. They will pay those loans back for the rest of their life, through garnishment of tax refunds and even social security payments in old age.
The result has been an explosive growth in private education. Schools using predatory techniques similar to credit card companies when they received greater protection against personal bankruptcy.
I've met people who went to "Collins College" (or, whatever) and they're just as stupid as they were when they graduated from high school (and probably shouldn't have been allowed to pass). They only difference is, they're out $20k for an education in something like "Pharmacy Technician" which pays about $10 an hour. And, they can't get a job because they're still stupid.
This Frontline piece titled College, Inc. is a good presentation of what's happened.
IMO, a college diploma is becoming a de facto union card. Just a piece of paper you have to have to stay out of the low-paying minimum wage sector. There's no middle-ground. Minimum wage or pay the "protection money" to the newly-privatized education industry to get the credentials necessary for a crap job like Pharmacy Technician.
It's a self-fulfilling condition. As more people pay the protection money, the more credible the credentials become. Even if they're not accredited or transferable to a real degree. | |
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|  vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA
1 edit | said by Omega:It still upsets me that with so many unemployed, these union employees were complaining about paid overtime. Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks. A mandatory 70 hours is too much, I'm happy to go the extra mile during crunch time, but that much work can start to affect your health. Of course, I'm sure the union would have flipped out had they offered to bring in some temporary non-union help instead of making everyone work overtime, but that's how that goes. | |
| | | OmegaDisplaced OhioanPremium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY Reviews:
·Bresnan Online
| Re: Complaining about work... said by vpoko:said by Omega:It still upsets me that with so many unemployed, these union employees were complaining about paid overtime. Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks. A mandatory 70 hours is too much, I'm happy to go the extra mile during crunch time, but that much work can start to affect your health. Of course, I'm sure the union would have flipped out had they offered to bring in some temporary non-union help instead of making everyone work overtime, but that's how that goes. Between Sept 11 and Sept 18 I am going to work 104 hours. Between September 19 and 25 I am going to be working 65 hours. No overtime. I think those workers can deal with 70 hour weeks @ time and a half.
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Whats smells like blue? | |
| | | | vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA | Re: Complaining about work... said by Omega:Between Sept 11 and Sept 18 I am going to work 104 hours. Between September 19 and 25 I am going to be working 65 hours. No overtime. Sucks to be you, I wouldn't do it. Maybe for a week in an extraordinary situation, but do that for a while and your kids won't recognize you (assuming you have kids). | |
| | | | | Reviews:
·WOW Internet and..
·Time Warner Cable
| Re: Complaining about work... and you'd be one of those people unemployed. It would be your fault that you lost your job then and not the company's. Be glad that they actually want you to work instead of outsourcing the jobs.
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www.twopugsbrand.com Kosher, Vegan, and Organic Certified Dog and Cat treats/foods and other products! www.etsy.com/shop/snakx4u/ Organic, Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegan Human Baked Goods | |
| | | | | | vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA
2 edits | Re: Complaining about work... said by hottboiinnc:and you'd be one of those people unemployed. It would be your fault that you lost your job then and not the company's. Be glad that they actually want you to work instead of outsourcing the jobs. If the company making me work 70 hours was the last company on Earth, then maybe I'd have no choice. But obviously there are many people, including myself, who are gainfully employed and do get to usually work a 40 hour week (actually, our company's work week is 37.5 hours, not to rub it in).
No doubt the labor market is better for businesses than for workers right now, but these things go in cycles and companies who treat their employees like crap will eventually have to settle for crappy employees. | |
| | | | | | | Reviews:
·WOW Internet and..
·Time Warner Cable
| Re: Complaining about work... in many states you're not considered full time then. So i hope you know that. that .5hours can mean a lot when it comes down to lay offs or closings you could be screwed in the end and the companies know that.
and as far as the 70hrs youd do what you're told or be without a job trying to find another one. that would be your choice but good luck trying to collect unemployment over that one. you'd get laughed at due to its a job that you left for no reason.
and they settle for crap employees that try and take advantage of the company by demanding shitty crap like how long their going to work- but thats a typical union boy for ya.
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www.twopugsbrand.com Kosher, Vegan, and Organic Certified Dog and Cat treats/foods and other products! www.etsy.com/shop/snakx4u/ Organic, Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegan Human Baked Goods | |
| | | | | | | | Eek2121Lovin Verizon FIOS
join:2002-10-12
Newton, NJ | Re: Complaining about work... actually, IIRC the federal minimum full time standard is 32 hours. | |
| | | | | | | | |  kdwycha
join:2003-01-30
Riverview, FL
·Bright House
·Verizon FiOS
| Re: Complaining about work... said by Eek2121:actually, IIRC the federal minimum full time standard is 32 hours. That is a bunch of crap. I work 40 hours a week and am considered part-time. I am unable to work over 40 hours a week and if I were to work 12 hours one day I have to take off 4 hours the next day. There are no benefits and no paid vacation or holidays since I am part-time. | |
| | | | | | | | | | kdwycha
join:2003-01-30
Riverview, FL Reviews:
·Bright House
·Verizon FiOS
| Re: Complaining about work... This is a matter generally determined by an employer. Many people mistakenly believe that full-time employment consists of 40 hours per week. However, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define full-time employment or part-time employment. The FLSA does require, however, that overtime pay be paid after 40 hours of work in a workweek. This may be the reason many employers cap full-time employment at 40 hours per week. | |
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| | | | | | | vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA
1 edit | said by hottboiinnc:in many states you're not considered full time then. So i hope you know that. that .5hours can mean a lot when it comes down to lay offs or closings you could be screwed in the end and the companies know that.
Thank you for your concern, but my employer considers me full-time despite our 37.5 work week, and as kdwycha pointed out, there is no government standard for what's considered full time. In any case, my point is that, despite what some people think, the job situation is not so dire that employees have to settle for whatever crap an employer wants to force on them. Good workers have options, even now. | |
| | | | | | | | | Reviews:
·Comcast
·Comcast Digital ..
| Re: Complaining about work... to wal mart 34 hours is full time. Of course over 40 is overtime.
I'm not getting into insurance coverage, all I will say is I pay alot and get less and less every year.
ok 90 every two weeks, 250 credit , 500 deductible, and next 2000 80/20 then they pay 100%.
The 500 is killing me, 1 doctor want $100, another wants $380 when only pulling in $520 every two weeks that stinks and I had to drop paying into 401k and stock to get 520. | |
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·magicjack.com
| Re: Complaining about work... said by mikedz4:The 500 is killing me, 1 doctor want $100, another wants $380 when only pulling in $520 every two weeks that stinks and I had to drop paying into 401k and stock to get 520. That's why I asked "pnh" if his argument that "someone will always work harder for less" (loose quotes) meant he opposes minimum wage laws.
The result of that kind of race to the bottom is what you describe: employers deriving the benefit from a non-living wage, shifting the costs of living to society. In my area, it's common for Walmart employees to be on Medicaid. Basically working and collecting welfare, which contributes to Walmart's low prices (subsidized by society).
I don't know if any firm lines can be drawn. But, we have a pretty long history of drawing lines. Of saying it's *not* ok to expect everything from an employee just because there's always someone else willing to do more for less (at least just to get their foot in the door).
I think we've all worked with people who have bad attitudes and give their labor grudgingly. But, by the same token, there are executives who will use good-faith contributions for their own benefit. That's reflected in what I mentioned about Walmart. And, the simple fact that CEO pay has risen from 33 times the average worker's in 1977 to 300 times the average worker in the year 2000.
No doubt there are malingering workers. But, increasing one's salary 100 fold is not a great example of how workers ought to be thankful and keep giving more. It's hard to feel those workers would be taking anything unreasonable by expecting a little more from their jobs in the face of CEO pay increasing 100 fold. | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Re: Complaining about work... said by hottboiinnc:and you'd be one of those people unemployed. It would be your fault that you lost your job then and not the company's. Be glad that they actually want you to work instead of outsourcing the jobs. Sounds like something a shitty manager would say. I've know a lot of them.
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TKJunkMail aliases - MIllIlITER, MMH, Golf N Sun | |
| | | | | | | | | Re: Complaining about work... and that must come from an employee who does what he wants and then will bitch in the end without a job.
Id toss ya out the door. | |
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| | | | | Wow 105 hours working outside doing technical labor. That's rough. It's rough working more than 60 hours a week outside for over 3 years straight. I don't know how you can handle 105 hours a week for several years. | |
| | | | |  KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Complaining about work... No, no, just ask all these far-right types, they should in fact be donating their OT back to the company for being so wonderful even giving them a job. Of course they should work until their health fails, (and then be summarily fired) and their wives leave them, and their kids don't know them. Why, this is what they call... family values.
Work like a slave and be treated as badly.
Damn these people are so far off the rails it's not even funny.
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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| | | | | | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
1 edit | Re: Complaining about work... said by KrK:No, no, just ask all these far-right types, they should in fact be donating their OT back to the company for being so wonderful even giving them a job. I can see their position. I recently worked at a polling place for our primary election. (I did it as a public service because the county had trouble finding workers.). About 18 hours (with 15 hours in one day) for $100.
Anyway, there was another guy working who was doing it just for the $100. He'd been unemployed for a long time. Obsessed with how long it would take to get the $100. And then, around noon, he asks me "do you know how long we get off for lunch? They're required by law to give us breaks and one hour for lunch."
I thought I could see why he couldn't find a job, with that kind of attitude.
16 other poll workers were taking quick 3-5 minute breaks here and there. Pausing for a bite to eat when the traffic slowed down. And he wants fixed, rigid 15-minute breaks, and a one-hour lunch. (When he's working for less than minimum wage, doing what most consider to be a public service, with heavy doses of "doing your patriotic duty.").
I'm the kind of person who would try to give good value for my pay. I'd be willing to work overtime for free. Especially if I worked a temporary job after months of not working. (I'd be glad to have something to do!).
But, there's no doubt executives have taken advantage of that kind of cheerful enthusiasm. All we have to do is consider how CEO pay went from 33 times the average worker's in 1977 to 300 times the average worker's in the year 2000.
Stuff like that is why we have laws requiring fixed lunch periods. Because a few people ruin it for everyone else. We've become a nation where CEOs shamelessly increase their pay while expecting everyone else to do more for less. | |
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| | |  quetwoThat VoIP GuyPremium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI | Congratulations. Now try doing that for 16 straight weeks. Then tell us how you feel.
I for one have mandatory over-time certain times of they year, but they are usually for short spurts (two or three weeks), and then things slow down enough to at least enjoy life. | |
| | | | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Somehow I think you're leaving out key details.
By just saying "No overtime" you're not really saying what's in it for you, or what the payoff is. So it's irrelevant, actually.
Anyway, try doing it for 2 months straight and see how that works....
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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| Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| It may upset you, and I doubt most are belly-aching over extra money, but do you have a family? Did you perhaps book your vacation (rentals, flights...) months in advance, only to be told, Guess what, you are working 12 hr shifts for the next few weeks..straight?
Maybe you have a hobby or other commitments after work hours? Or schooling?
Sure, the money might be good, but with fatigue, comes mistakes.
And most of that money will get sapped into taxes.
I wonder if FailPoint will rescind their Emergency Mandatory Overtime ...
(which really is abuse since that was reserved for EMERGENCIES like storm damages, FEMA, ...) | |
| |  old_dawg"I Know Noting..."
join:2001-09-22
Westminster, MD
·Comcast
| said by Omega:It still upsets me that with so many unemployed, these union employees were complaining about paid overtime. Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks. I'd hazard a guess that with 30 hours of OT in a pay period, much of that money is going into taxes.
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"Our network engineers are aware of the problem..." | |
| |  pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | said by Omega:It still upsets me that with so many unemployed, these union employees were complaining about paid overtime. Yea, I'm sure they weren't complaining about their paychecks. I agree. Most of us work UNPAID overtime when it comes up. If these people cannot deal with doing some extra work and getting time-and-a-half for their trouble they can quit and make room for someone else who is willing to do the job.
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"Net Neutrality" zealots - the people you can thank for your capped Internet service. | |
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See 13 replies to this post | |
| KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Imagine being told to work 70 hours a week---- for weeks on end, or for months.
People do have lives. You know families---- kids, wives.
Yes, being paid OT is great, but sometimes you need time off more then the money.
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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zed260Premium
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN
kudos:1 | wonder how much ftth coulda been laid had they spent there time laying fiber instead of fixing copper | |
| | | | Re: wonder how much ftth coulda been laid had they Fiber doesn't work too well connected to copper on both ends... | |
| | | zed260Premium
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN
kudos:1 | Re: wonder how much ftth coulda been laid had they true but givin how much work the copper needed in some places it may have been cheaper getting red of all the copper and replacing it with fiber | |
| | | |  CoronaIt's cool, I'm takin it backPremium
join:2000-03-14
Dallas, TX | Re: wonder how much ftth coulda been laid had they what world do you live in where fiber + all the components to make it work is cheaper than repairing existing copper plant? | |
| | | | | | No, placing fiber costs to much money. Keeping the copper working is still the most economical choice. | |
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| zed260Premium
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Charter
2 edits | in long run it is plus copper prices are on rise again someday copper will cost to much
heck for a while thiefs where climbing poles to take copper what price would it have to be for that to happen so often that ftth is cheaper give it 10 years tops | |
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 dmxrob6Premium
join:2005-06-24
Boonville, MO
·AT&T Southwest
| This really pisses me off... They are COMPLAINING about being forced to work PAID overtime? Give me a freaking break! My significant other has been out of work for 10 months.
If they don't like their jobs, then guess what -- there are over 10 million unemployed right now who would be happy to work all that overtime.
Sounds like they need to re-evaluate the workforce and get some people in there who want to work instead of complain! | |
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See 9 replies to this post | |
 heat84Bit Torrent Apologist
join:2004-03-11
Fort Lauderdale, FL | I'm kinda split too But how many hours of overtime before work turns into paid slavery? I'm curious as to where that line actually is. 80 hours maybe?
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Bit Torrent is my DVR. | |
| | | | Re: I'm kinda split too Ask the workers at Foxconn. | |
|
 SteveConIBEW 2222 Boston, MAPremium
join:2004-09-02
Burlington, MA | We're human, too! Forced PAID overtime. There's overtime and there's forced overtime. All overtime is paid! To all those heroes in managment that have agreed to work all kinds of crazy hours for a predetermined amount of money: good for you! Hourly employees on the other hand are to be paid at least 1.5 times their normal rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a week or in the case of many union contracts, in excess of 8 hours in one day. Usually, unless you work in a sweatshop or for a public utility - if overtime is available, you can choose NOT to work it. Clauses in many utility labor contracts provide for minimum levels of overtime that one is expected to work - when needed. Further, even more hours can be expected in "situations beyond the company's control" - weather related issues are the usually trigger for this.
Being "forced" by its very nature is doing something that you do not want to do. Maybe not everyone complains initially, but working week after week after week - to what amounts to nearly double shifts is not something most normal folks can endure without some grumbling. It's even harder when you aren't told how long this new schedule will last.. it's a day to day or week to week thing. That means forget about doing anything other than working and sleeping; for who knows how long. Customers are unhappy, supervisors are trying to get more done in less time with the people they have; tension is high, patience is tumbling and everyone suffers. The employee's personal and family life takes a significant hit.
But the hidden danger, the one I don't believe anyone mentioned is: safety. This kind of work is not like cleaning out your basement on a Saturday morning, or maybe putting a swing set together for the kids on the weekend. It's difficult, technical and often performed in extremes of heat, cold & humidity, etc. These conditions only further complicate an already difficult job. Heap on an extra two or three helpings of fatigue and you have all the ingredients for tragedy. Most utility employees do a great job - and they want to help their customers. They're the face the customer sees and deals with - not the CEO or even the supervisor. It's human nature to complain about things you don't want to do. TelCo employees are human, too.
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UNIONS: The anti-theft device for working people. | |
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See 6 replies to this post | |
 mix
join:2002-03-19
Utica, MI | Frontier pays a 9.8% Dividend yield According to cnbc, "Second-quarter profit increased 26% to $35 million, or 11 cents a share, as revenue contracted 3% to $516 million. The operating margin rose from 28% to 34%."
»www.cnbc.com/id/39065819/page/3/ | |
| | | sounds like good news to me.... The real story here is that Frontier pulled off a miracle and integrated Verizon assets pretty smoothly in 2 months. Of course Karl would barely cover that kind of positive news. I see one tiny article on 7/13 and that's it.... lol
The last few companies that took on Verizon assets are in utter chaos.
There's obviously something different going on here. It's kind of nice to see Karl's gloom and doom get shot down every now and then.
These people are lucky to have a job in this economy. Especially for a company that took on Verizon assets. | |
| | hga
join:2008-05-09
Joplin, MO Reviews:
·AT&T Southwest
| Re: sounds like good news to me.... In some ways it's not all that surprising: WV was the only non-ex-GTE property that Frontier acquired. In the ex-GTE ones there were essentially no mandatory changes, the same people are running the same systems (billing, repair, operations, etc.), they've just switched reporting to new higher level managers. In those properties the drama level was low, they've been e.g. focused building DSLAMs in areas where Verizon ran fiber but didn't light it.
The Frontier people found that quite mystifying but it speaks of Verizon's general neglect of their non-FiOS business and these areas. Frontier expects to have quite a few new HSI customers by year's end, having bought and received a lot of the equipment needed before the official cutover.
WV was the special case, a part of the true, old and original Verizon, essentially what Fairpoint bought. But as we can see, Frontier did a Maximum Effort in that state and all in all seems to have succeeded.
From deciding in just over a week that the network was in such poor shape that they had to declare an emergency, making these guys work 70 hours a week for 2 hot summer months (sometimes fixing damage from copper thieves) to a major effort to build and get running a new billing system (I know that a lot of work went into that). The low level of problems reported indicates the latter was as successful as any IT project like this is likely to be. | |
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 JamesonPremium
join:2004-05-28
Fallbrook, CA
kudos:1 | Wahh Those poor workers making all that money. | |
| | | Working to Afford a LIFE! To ALL the people who said these workers should just be happy they have a job...
What good is a JOB if you have no LIFE to enjoy?!?
Sure, things are tough for a lot of folks. That doesn't mean workers should just take whatever crap management shovels to them with a smile! Working 10 hour days, 7 days a week, for several months leaves you NO TIME to ENJOY Life.
And if you aren't enjoying your life or your job... then what is the point?!?! There is a HUGE difference between living and just surviving!!!
When did we (Americans) become so stupid, lazy, and disillusioned that we'd gladly accept this kind of treatment?!?
Please remember, 80-90% of the citizens still have jobs!!! Does that mean they should just bend over for whatever kind of treatment their jobs want?!?!
WAKE UP!!!
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| | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Working to Afford a LIFE! It's the mentality these days.
Stupid workers should be happy they aren't chained and fed bread and water for food. Hey, they have a job, right?
Work to live, or live to work?
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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 tfrionliTom F.
join:2001-06-21
Kings Park, NY
·Verizon FiOS
·Optimum Online
| MANDATORY When you decide what side of the fence you're on, you'll create an argument to support it.. but either way you cut it, this one just stinks... You don't need to force people to work, if you create a good work environment,, people should be free to work their jobs without continuous bombardment of "company work rules" and make a fair wage, without the "forced" labor.. c'mon people.
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tfrionli | |
| | | | Re: MANDATORY I'd like to know why they didn't simply hire more people, even if only temporarily, to get the job done?
With all the unemployed people out there, there HAD to be some experienced ones to fill that void.
70 hours a week, whether mandatory or not, is ridiculous!! It wouldn't take long to take a toll on your body or mind, whether you saw that immediately or not either.
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The Firefox alternative.
»www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/ | |
| | | | | Re: MANDATORY said by cork1958:I'd like to know why they didn't simply hire more people, even if only temporarily, to get the job done? With all the unemployed people out there, there HAD to be some experienced ones to fill that void. It isn't that easy in the technical telecom field.
New employees would need to be trained on their specific system, procedures, applications, and roles. This takes time and money that might be better used stretching the existing workforce to accomplish the goal.
Unless the temporary workers are either former employees or temps that have worked in that specific role, there are always training requirements. | |
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| | The Poor Employees Cry me a river. The next story will be about how Frontier is not allowing any overtime. Yeah it is a lot of hours, but the employees were being well compensated. A short term effort to get the network up to the required level.
Before the pro-worker folks preach about the hours, think about a salaried employees that had to do the hours without any extra pay or benefits. | |
| |  DeltaEliteWe Dont Dial 911
join:2002-03-29
Tucker, GA
kudos:1
·AT&T Southeast
1 edit | Re: The Poor Employees No,you cry me a river....
I took the union blue collar job with the overtime rate in writing and the work rules.....hung around for 24 years now and have 6 more till I retire.
I've turned down those prestigious managment jobs cause when I pull a 70 hour week and put my homelife on hold Ma Bell pays dearly for it....I'm talking creditcard payoff time.
I'll bring home more this year (and have most years) then my bosses boss. When my phone rings at 2am I go get the Cabellas cataloge out and pick a new toy.
I got this job by applying and passing an entrance test.it was that simple.I kept this job by showing up everyday and doing the job that was expected of me.If that meant a 70 hour week,well I cried all the way to the bank on payday and got the job done.
And the last 4 times they offered me a managment position I told them I couldn't afford the paycut.
Now, the next time bad weather hits and your sitting in your house counting your blessings and thanking whatever you pray too that the house is still standing and everyones home and safe ,look out your window because my wife and kids said goodbye to me an hour ago and instead of being home and comforting them and counting my blessings My overpaid union arse is out in my company supplied truck RESTORING YOUR SERVICE "without reasonable accomodations."
Unions will become obsolete when companys decide to treat the employees with respect and share the profits INSTEAD of paying bloated executive compensation packages and outsourceing all of the work
Untill them theres a real need for it....Especially in the telecomm industry because the top 3 are the greediest money gurbbing-est companies in the country. If they had their choice the top 10 would get double the pay packages off the sweat from MY BROW and I'd be busting my arse for pennies instead of a living wage.
Yeah,maybe someone would take the job for less....But after they figured out what my job really is they'd go find something easier.
Sour Grapes dont cut it with me either...
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 linicxCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2002-12-03
United State
·Cass Communicati..
·CenturyLink
| What? Union workers were forced to work 70 hour weeks. That's a little over 4 extra hours every day. The 30 hrs overtime every week suggests the check included 1.5, double or even triple overtime plus straight pay depending upon when they worked. I wouldn't whine too loudly, more than a few of those checks were over two grand every week.
On 12-hr days they didn't get as much sleep, nor did they have as much family time, but but god they were working! And this is what employed are hired to do.
If this company was smart, they would have rotated the 70 hr weeks: one on and one off, and let some poor slob who hadn't worked for 6 months pick up the 70 hrs on the off weeks ... and both would get 40 hour weeks.
And there would still be some lazy slob whining because he worked four hours over. When the work is done, the whiners will be left behind.
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Mac: No windows, No Gates, Apple inside | |
| | | | Re: What? I'd love 30 hours of OT. Salaried employees don't see that benefit. | |
| | | linicxCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2002-12-03
United State Reviews:
·Cass Communicati..
·CenturyLink
| Re: What? I don't want to start some kind of war here, but I can tell you that good unions usually negotiate good terms for the members that normally includes extra pay for overtime. Every union is different.
Salaried workers don't get overtime but they may have other benefits such as company stock, matching 401K, early retirement bonus or other benefits. Every company is different.
In this economy if you pay your bills and save $5, you are ahead. If you are on a fixed income like Social Security, it is what it is; it could be worse.
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Mac: No windows, No Gates, Apple inside | |
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