AT&T labor contracts expire, CWA members report to work "for now"

jeez people, look at this snippet:
"Lets pray the weather stay stable, I wanna see how long power will be out and how fast customers will switch they services. IF I HAVE TO PAY AS MUCH AS I HERE,"

"they services"? THEIR services
"as much as I here"? you HEAR

you should have stayed in High School!

i am sorry but att doesnt know what they are talking about when it comes to the wireline side of the house. Who sold, installs and maintains over 1 million uverse customers the WIRELINE side! Who didnt get a team award this year the reps & techs who made att uverse a sucess! ATT BRAGS ABOUT THEIR PROFITS AND GREED ALL AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES!!! SHAME!!!

"Here's what you do. Execept the fact that you are going to have to pay the same premiums as the rest of us. The CWA has probably pissed away more of your money preparing for this bargaining by buying supplies for signs, inflatables, shirts and God knows what else. It is VERY apparent that AT&T is not budging on this contract folks. So you better either expect that, strike, then start looking for a new job."

Thats funny, you need to accept the fact that you are getting screwed by the company because they can screw you. Do you really have health insurance through at&t or is it really just a UHC discount plan you pay for. As far as the company not budging, your wrong, it looks to me they already have (although not far enough yet). The health care proposals for current employees has already got better since the onset of negotiations. Do you really think its fair to leave out the people that need health care the most, the retirees, they want them to have the same plan as you and they already live on fixed incomes, thats unacceptable, these people gave many hard years to this company making it what it is today, an extremely profitable company, these people deserve what they were promised when they retired. As for management, they need to stand up collectively to the company and let them know they feel like they are getting the shaft, dont you agree the company could afford to put management on a better health care plan? If you actually work for at&t go on the intranet and check out all the disgruntled management folks stating what they think in the comments to the stories of how profitable the company is (quickly though, the best comments get pulled by the company pretty quick). Speaking of the company being very profitable, go read the first quarter result, they happen to mention all the gains in u-verse and data services which we, craft, install and maintain (what happened to all the decline on our side, it seems at&t only talks about decline on our side when it suits them).

Face it, this is more corporate greed, plain and simple.

Update from CWA D4 4/22/09

"The question for CWA members is what exactly will we have to do in order to let management understand that their massive cost shifting proposals are not acceptable to us? We have done a lot of mobilization, but evidently what we are doing is not enough and each and every one of us needs to find a way to ramp it up!"

HELLO!!!!!!
Here's what you do. Execept the fact that you are going to have to pay the same premiums as the rest of us. The CWA has probably pissed away more of your money preparing for this bargaining by buying supplies for signs, inflatables, shirts and God knows what else. It is VERY apparent that AT&T is not budging on this contract folks. So you better either expect that, strike, then start looking for a new job.

www,unionvoice,org/campaign/attjobsfirst replace the comos with periods

to the person who said...
"Well, newsflash: IT CAN and IT HAS

Go back and ask someone in your garage/office about the strike at divestiture, or the one in 1968 (I think that's the one everyone is still pissed about). And, for the record - all costs associated with the strike are written off at tax time.... so PLEASE stop with the constant claim that the company will fall to bits without you. Join the rest of us in the real world."

LAST I CHECKED.. 1969 WAS 40 YEARS AGO. YOU THINK THAT THE WORK IS JUST THE SAME AS IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO.. THEY HAD HIGH CAPS AND ISDN AND DSL AND FIBER TO THE PREM AND FIBER TO THE NODE AND UVERSE.
THE ONLY THING THAT IS THE SAME IS THE SAME OLD 40 YEAR OLD CABLE THAT IS STILL HANGING IN THE AIR 40 YEARS LATER AND IT BREAKS IF YOU LOOK AT IT TOO LONG. (THANKS FOR BEING SO CHEAP AND NOT REPLACING THE CABLE THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WORK ON!) YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE IN FOR. YOUR TECHS DON'T ALWAYS TELL YOU EVERYTHING THEY DID TO FIX IT EITHER! ROFLMAO!

From District 4 today.
"With the difficult issues that divide us, you may wonder why we're not on strike...the answer is that we are making time work for us. A strike is still a very likely possibility, but it will be at a time of our choosing--maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe the day they decide to give us our keys and passes back. We continue to ratchet up the pressure and escalate our mobilization activities each and every day. That's how we make time work for us."

Wow! You really want people that put out statements like this to be bargining for you? That might be the dumbest statement I have seen to date. How in the hell is that making "time" work for you? What you are really waiting for is the share holder meeting next week. For some odd reason you think that being there is going to make a difference. As the person posted earlier.
"Put up or shut up!" Noboby wants to see the CWA disappear, but they need to understand that this is not their father's union anymore. Times have changed and they need to realize that.

It's time for you all to wake up. The wireline side of the business is dying and the workload has dropped significantly out in the field. AT&T has stated often that they are looking to Mobility and UVerse for the future. I don't think they care if wireline workers go on strike. If there's a strike, it may take time for managers to get up to speed nad things may not be worked as fast, but they have more than enough managers to cover the union jobs and over time they will get more proficient and faster. In other strikes, the managers can see first hand what is actually going on their areas and they take this opportunity to clear up the backlog or come up with ideas to streamline their areas.

It's something that the negotiators aren't telling us, and I bet it has something to do with high senority and retirement! And we all know the talkers are a foot out the door to retire so they wanna cover they're ass. I bet it's probably not as bad as we all think CWA for us ppl who has 10-20 more yrs to go. So they holding everyone up for they're selves! I'M READY LET'S GOOO!! Every day walking on eggshells is getting a little aggravating. Whatever the outcome it's going to happen anyway, yeah I appreciate the check but is it worth our dignity. You got these ppl who basically live at AT&T with more than 35 yrs and stuck in there ways and you think im supposed to feel sorry! Things happen I understand but from what I see it's ridiculous, why put yourself through all this stress. LET'S STRIKE NOW!!

It's something that the negotiators aren't telling us, and I bet it has something to do with high senority and retirement! And we all know the talkers are a foot out the door to retire so they wanna cover they're ass. I bet it's probably not as bad as we all think CWA for us ppl who has 10-20 more yrs to go. So they holding everyone up for they're selves! I'M READY LET'S GOOO!! Every day walking on eggshells is getting a little aggravating. Whatever the outcome it's going to happen anyway, yeah I appreciate the check but is it worth our dignity. You got these ppl who basically live at AT&T with more than 35 yrs and stuck in there ways and you think im supposed to feel sorry! Things happen I understand but from what I see it's ridiculous, why put yourself through all this stress. LET'S STRIKE NOW!!

"On Monday March 23rd, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that its members working at AT&T had voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize a strike if negotiations didn't work out."

??????????
Well put up or shut up!

It seems perfectly clear to me that nothing is going to happen here on either side. The union is NOT going to call for a strike (or they would have April 4th) due to the public opinion of unions today. BUT AT&T is not going to lock them out either, as that would tarnish their rep. So this will go on for a few more weeks under the same contract and MAYBE the co. will bend some and the union some, but a resolution will come and all this will be behind everyone.

Thats funny, I wonder why the locals get to do thier taxes as a "not for profit business". What you need to realize is the union is the members, the more the members vote and get involved the more sucsessful the members will be.

All the comments wishing for the contract to stay are not felt by all. Speaking soley from a former temp splicer now current prem tech point of view. I very much wish for many things changes to the current contract that applies to my current postion and former postion. The union needs to fight to elimate the temp loophole. Working somewhere for four years is not temporary. As for prem techs where do i start. They can work u 80 hours or 8 depending on the load. When i was a splicer i could actually eat 3 decent meals a day out of town for $38 a day. Prem techs take their $25 and go to the dollar menu. Half the pay of other outside employees with quite frankly more diffcult job functions. I would much rather hang from poles, wade in pits, or stand under a waterfall in a manhole than belly crawl through an attic in the summer or crawlspace in winter. These are daily occurences. So, just saying not all union members are content with the current contract. I know the prem techs and temps aren't.

First, let me say I have nothing against the union members, but I think they have been duped. Everyone needs to realize that the union is a "for profit business". It needs members paying dues to exist. The "union" cares no for for its members that LA Fitness cares for me.

I can't imagine how the public perceives this hot mess! Cables cut, junction boxes being sabotaged,bashing,blaming,racism,union workers defecting already...Ugh! As a previous craft, then mgr we maintained a level of loyalty and respect for the each other, union and the company. Someone needs to do damage control, we are all in this together...

reply

Yes, I believe everything the Union tells me, and I don't think anyone else can do my job as good as I do.But the people I work with know that when I suck up to management,I am just kidding around.Sometimes you feel obligated to stay close to the ones that covered your butt when you just couldn't make the numbers.

wake up..the union is working both sides of the fence...they just want their bottom line YOUR MONEY!!!!! They will try and make a deal with both at&t and the workers not because they care,because they want your MONEY!!!!!! the day of the union is gone...stand up and speak for yourselves....

To whom ever that obviously has no clue. I never said we couldn't be replaced, anyone can be replaced. I simply made the point that we cannot be replaced as easily as you seem to think. It takes time for any newbie splicer to learn his job right after school, that would be the reason mangement send a newbie on ride alongs for the first few months. You know as well as i do you can't tell someone straight out of school here is a locator, sidekick, 965, and some hand tools go find out why all the people in this neighborhood has static, he or she will be pulling their hair out before they even breakout their hand tools. If we go out on strike, sure there are some people that will be able to get by, never said they wouldn't be able to. They just won't be able to do what me and the majority of my fellow union techs do now, not for a while at least. you claim to do 4 to 8 jobs in an 8hour day, doubt it. Obviously not the type of work I am referring to and diffenately not the type of plant I am accustomed too.

Why can't you get it through your fat head though, this is not about you and me, my skills compared to yours. It is simply about what the company is trying to take back from us, for what? So they can make more money. Not bigger profits theyt are going to make that anyway. Think about it why do managers get what they get? Simple they are represented by anyone that has the power to try and protect them therefore they get what the get cause the company can do what they want to them. It sad that you think it is about union greed, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING MORE THEN WE ALREADY HAVE!!!!! If our contract stayed exactly the same we would be perfectly happy. What is the company trying to do that is so bad you ask?
Well lets see even though they for see at least a double in profit for next year and the years to come, they want to change how we get paid, 60%/40%. Do you know what that means? It means lets say just for figure sake you make 1000 dollars in 2 weeks, you are gauranteed 600 of it the other 400 is decided upon whether you meet their requirements for sales, productivity, quility, whatever they decide will be the underlying factor. they can say oh wait but you didn't meet your sales requirements for the month you only sold 5 services not 10 therefore here is half of the 400 you earned. or for you outside techs maybe your boss does 2 qualities for that 2 week period 1 you get 100% one you get 50%, oops sorry you don't deserve the other 400 you earned were going to give you 300 of it. don't you see how much bull that is.

Or how about the company saying sunday is just another day. time and a half is not neccessary we will give you time and 1/10, wait if sunday is just a regular why the 10th, cause sunday has always been considered a religious holiday that is why wether you believe or not, go to church or not, it just is.

Lets tchange the 49 hr rule to 56 and then lets bring back forced ot. So for all those people who work ot, we can just cut you out and force the people that don't care to work overtime to work.

Lets see I think we can get away with taking away 2 of you paid holidays presidents' day and the friday after thanksgiving. WOW lets nitpick a little more.

Lets get rid of the differential pay people get for losing their whole day and make it only appicable after 700pm, which means all you people that work 11 to 730pm or 12pm to 8pm we won't pay you differential til after 700pm wow 1 hr of differential pay not worth volunteering for the late shift is it.

Then the big issue healthcare, lets make you guys pay out of pocket expenses, where as you have not had to do before, because it just getting to expensive for us, the company that pays out more in one years salary to the ceo then anyone of you can make in 250 years. must be hard for him. NOT.

Oh wait and while you grab you ankles for us we will just tickle your throat a little with this one.
Lets just pull you pension to a screaching hault. no more contributions. Oh and the retirees, lets just throw them in the trash we don't need them anymore. They're old news, no pun intended, They can just go back to work to survive, And for future reference there will be no more retiring on the companies dime, that'll cut into my bonuses too much. Can't have that now.

AND ALL WE ASK IS THAT OUR BENEFITS, CAUSE THAT IS THE REASON MOST PEOPLE CAME TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY IS BECAUSE IT BENEFITS THEM, STAY THE SAME.

AT&T is not a sweatshop, it's a profitable company even in the midsts of a reccession. The reason AT&T is what they are today is because, we the people of the working class enjoy working here, it's always been a family and friends type of company. Why are you so intent on changing that?

To Posted by Anonymous | April 12, 2009 - 8:33pm
If I appear to be rude I am sorry...I have been arguing with SCABS for a week now. You appear to be a decent sort of fellow. With that in mind why don't you speak with your UNION rep or call the local...you will get better information there than you will on this site.

To Posted by Anonymous | April 12, 2009 - 8:33pm
"The sad part is that no one will really know what we're striking for - what the company really offered. CWA isn't giving out specifics just generalities and they're expecting everyone to follow blindly. I guess that is simple."
If there is a strike all of the members will be able to review what at&t offered and/or refused. It really is that simple.

"If we need to strike at some point then we will strike then...it really is that simple."

The sad part is that no one will really know what we're striking for - what the company really offered. CWA isn't giving out specifics just generalities and they're expecting everyone to follow blindly. I guess that is simple.

To Posted by Anonymous | April 12, 2009 - 5:00pm
"Here's what I don't get: If everyone in the union is so ready to strike and give up pay for days or weeks, and they're so sure that what at&t is offering is unacceptable - why is CWA still at the table?'
We are working under the same terms and conditions of the expired contract. We have NOT been forced into giving anything up. Negotiations are still continuing at this point so why would we strike? If we need to strike at some point then we will strike then...it really is that simple.

Here's what I don't get: If everyone in the union is so ready to strike and give up pay for days or weeks, and they're so sure that what at&t is offering is unacceptable - why is CWA still at the table?

To Posted by Just Me | April 12, 2009 - 3:16pm
"Wow - talk about being defensive."
I wasn't getting defensive I was only responding to your comments.

"I never said that CWA lost anything at divestiture. I said that AT&T survived the strike. Just like they survived it in 1989 and the joke of a 4 day strike last time."
at&t survived because they came to an agreement with the CWA and did not attempt to break it. If at&t felt like it could have broke it then they would have.

"Secondly, I am not against the union. If I were, I wouldn't have stayed for 15 years. I would have gotten out the first time I saw someone get their job back after abusing a customer, or surfing the internet, or taking FMLA time to go to Vegas. I am against the union members who think they are entitled to more than anyone else."
Do you feel the same way about your fellow managers...or maybe you have lower standards now that you are in management? How many managers have done basically the same thing? Are you going to leave management now?

"EVERYONE has to work in the rain, sleet and heat. It's called a job. If you have a job that forces you to work outside - yes, I feel for you - but... correct me if I'm wrong ... when you were hired they told you if you'd be outside. Right?"
I don't consider working in an office, building, or driving a truck as working in the rain, sleet, and heat. I have worked in the oilfield and construction which also work in the elements. However, most construction doesn't occur in the rain. Actually I was hired for an inside ST position but I managed to transfer outside since I enjoy it more overall.
"Also - service outages have to be fixed. The company cannot tell customers ... "I'm sorry, that major cable outage is going to have to wait because our employees only want to work 8-430 Mon-Friday." And, if I'm not mistaken, there is overtime and double time and differentials added to your pay for those kinds of things."
The majority of Service Emergencies are caused by the stupidity of management. Examples include not maintaining the OSP so that if a mouse pisses on the copper we have a Service Emergency. Not having a correct staffing level to work the amount of tickets that roll in. Not controlling the scheduling of tickets ....50 in one day and 5 the next etc. Constantly being loaned to other crews because they are drowning in tickets which makes your OSP deteriorate even further since you aren't there to maintain it. ON an ON... Service Emergencies used to be in response to weather trouble; now it is used to mask staffing shortages. The pay does get better and better but 90%+ would prefer to spend time with their families if given a choice.

"Don't get me wrong - I am not saying I would want your job. I know it's strenuous."
This is not a superman position. I have had worse but I just don't tolerate someone shooting their mouth off about something they don't know.

"The only correct thing you said in your post was that you are whining ... at least I got that out of you."
I made it very clear in the post that when I stated whining I needed to stop since I sounded just like you.

"Have a good life."
It will be after the contract is signed.

That manager probably thinks GJI8 is a great program. GJI8 has ruined this company wirelines. When I find a bad spot I only fix my pair because I am being measured on how quick that job gets done.

To Anonymous | April 12, 2009 - 1:05pm

Wow - talk about being defensive.

I never said that CWA lost anything at divestiture. I said that AT&T survived the strike. Just like they survived it in 1989 and the joke of a 4 day strike last time.

Secondly, I am not against the union. If I were, I wouldn't have stayed for 15 years. I would have gotten out the first time I saw someone get their job back after abusing a customer, or surfing the internet, or taking FMLA time to go to Vegas. I am against the union members who think they are entitled to more than anyone else.

EVERYONE has to work in the rain, sleet and heat. It's called a job. If you have a job that forces you to work outside - yes, I feel for you - but... correct me if I'm wrong ... when you were hired they told you if you'd be outside. Right?

Also - service outages have to be fixed. The company cannot tell customers ... "I'm sorry, that major cable outage is going to have to wait because our employees only want to work 8-430 Mon-Friday." And, if I'm not mistaken, there is overtime and double time and differentials added to your pay for those kinds of things.

Don't get me wrong - I am not saying I would want your job. I know it's strenuous.

The only correct thing you said in your post was that you are whining ... at least I got that out of you.

Have a good life.

To Posted by Juse | April 12, 2009 - 1:20pm
and Posted by Anonymous | April 12, 2009 - 1:05pm

Are we to assume that each contract that we have gotten is only a result of begging? Each increase in salary or benefit is a result of the company wanting to "give" us something? Overall each contract has improved the UNION member...some contracts have been better than others so I post in an overall context. Businesses in the United States have locked out UNION members if and when they thought they could break the UNION. Why would at&t be in different? at&t has demonstrated that they will only do what they are forced to contractually do. You both are very confused and mistaken if you believe that at&t could win on a lockout...if they could they would have done it. Those rumors that floated about the internet about this very thing happening are just that rumors. The CWA didn't lose at the "divestiture" strike please be more specific. What do you consider losses as a result of that strike? I will have to contact some retired old timers about the 1968 strike since this strike has never been brought up to me before today.
You posted:
"I was in the union for 15 years. I left because of people like you - people who had this sense of entitlement (yes, there's that awful "e" word again!"
You got out because your fellow Union Brothers and Sisters couldn't stand you and your attitude. You are the one on the crew that is always going to the boss and whining about how you are getting messed over and have to do all the work. The trouble with that thought process is this; what you consider getting screwed is merely having to carry your share of the work. Then you go and cry to the boss about how the crew doesn't like you etc. How many times did you go whining to your UNION rep before he told you to grow up? Were you the only child in your family? It sounds like you are used to always getting your way... Yes I feel so entitled on the months of Service Emergencies working in the rain, sleet, and heat. Yes I feel so entitled when I work almost every weekend and all but a few holidays. I could go on and on with this type of whining but I am beginning to sound just like you so I better stop.

To: Anonymous April 12th 713am

Where in my message does it say ANYTHING about breaking the union? I was in the union for 15 years. I left because of people like you - people who had this sense of entitlement (yes, there's that awful "e" word again!) and honestly believe that the company cannot run without you.

Well, newsflash: IT CAN and IT HAS

Go back and ask someone in your garage/office about the strike at divestiture, or the one in 1968 (I think that's the one everyone is still pissed about). And, for the record - all costs associated with the strike are written off at tax time.... so PLEASE stop with the constant claim that the company will fall to bits without you. Join the rest of us in the real world.

"If at&t wanted to they could have locked everyone out...this proves they don't want a work stoppage."

Well - d'uh! Of course at&t doesn't want a work stoppage. No one does. However, if it comes to it - at&t will be able to survive without the union worker longer than the average union worker will be able to survive without a paycheck or with the scorn of public opinion. The longer the strike, the more proficient the replacement workers get and... yes ... the more leverage the company has to say "forget it" and lock out everyone still on the picket line.

There's not going to be a strike because the CWA negotiators and the AT&T negotiators are not your union stewards and first line managers. They are people who negotiate all the time. They know the game and they're playing it. The problem is, no one else knows the rules - they just think they do.

To Posted by just me | April 11, 2009 - 12:42pm

at&t would not survive if it attempted to break the UNION. If it thought it could it would just lock everyone out...and not worry about contracts any more. Even if by some magical spell it was able to survive it would only be a shell of what it once was and be devoured by another company...who had CWA representation. Don't any of you managers post anything so idiotic that "the reason the company doesn't break the UNION is because we care about the employee". If at&t thought it could be done it would try it.

TO Posted by Anonymous | April 11, 2009 - 8:34pm
"Very responsible attitude "union tech with a wife out of work and 2 kids". You are willing to lose your house rather than pay for healthcare."

This type of post is always done by SCABS. They don't allow ethics or personal convictions to influence their decisions. They never allow a personal sacrifice to stand in the way of making the correct decision. If at&t wanted to they could have locked everyone out...this proves they don't want a work stoppage. at&t understands that if this turns nasty and lasts any real length of time they will be in trouble. The workforce to replace the strike won't be able to get it done...this is a direct result of their decision to emphasize hiring professional trained managers. The old school/guard type of management is mostly gone...many forced out and bitter. They possible weren't as polished but they understood since most had been craft and such. This is the new at&t remember...

To posted by Anonymous | April 11, 2009 - 11:11pm
"Way to go dumb ass CWA person to cut the fiber in CA"
This is a typical idiotic management type of statement. Anyone with 1 brain cell working would understand that type of behavior only benefits the company in the public eye. Who gained from this incident? Police procedure usually involves investigating "who has the most to gain". I guess that I could make idiotic statements like that poster...let me try one: It was a manager who had been to all of this "CHAOS TRAINING" and either got confused or took the training titles to literal. There I posted it and didn't even allow common sense or facts stand in the way.

Very responsible attitude "union tech with a wife out of work and 2 kids". You are willing to lose your house rather than pay for healthcare. Are you insane? Exactly how long do you think this strike is going to last? I can assure you it won't be 4 days like it was lat time ... so I hope you have a lot in your savings account because I can just about guarantee that the OT you make when you come back will NOT cover the lost wages.

I'm a union tech with a wife out of work and 2 kids and I will say this only once. If we strike, I'll probably lose my house. If I have to pay more for health care, I'll probably lose my house. I will promise you this, I'll never cross the lines without a fair contract! When we come back, I'll make 2X more with the OT that I get!

You people who hide behind the union are crazy. Unions don't carry the weight they once did...say 40 years ago ??!! The world is an ever changing place, and the unions are now sinking ships, time to get off before you go with it. You can walk around picketing and all that, but in the end, your DADDY AT&T will TELL you how you will work, or you will be looking for another job. Your UNION will buckle under the pressure of your daddy. Oh, and yes....i AM a UNION employee...go figure....just one who sees what's happening.

You people who hide behind the union are crazy. Unions don't carry the weight they once did...say 40 years ago ??!! The world is an ever changing place, and the unions are now sinking ships, time to get off before you go with it. You can walk around picketing and all that, but in the end, your DADDY AT&T will TELL you how you will work, or you will be looking for another job. Your UNION will buckle under the pressure of your daddy. Oh, and yes....i AM a UNION employee...go figure....just one who sees what's happening.

y'know what i love - i love reading the insipid comments on these boards. first, we all know that mgmt isn't going to be able to do the job with the same expertise as someone who does it 40 hours a week. all we have to do is keep the company running until the union members start crossing the picket line (and they will if this strike goes as long as the rumors are stating).

secondly, most of our customers (if not all) will be aware of the strike and, trust me, if they can wait to order service, they will.

lastly, the mgrs doing the jobs are not all clueless - many of the placements are being made based on previous experience. don't get me wrong - not all of the jobs are being handed out based on experience - there are gonna be a lot of newbies. but, my point is, at&t can and will survive a strike.

oh - and if the person who cut the cables in CA happens to be reading this post - way to go... you just set public opinion of the union back 40 years. moron.

It seem to be going around that all it takes to do an outside techs job is a couple months worth of computer based training, well I got news for you. The average cable maintenance tech went to school for splicing for about 6 weeks 2 weeks splicing and 4 weeks advanced trouble shooting. And if you were lucky enoough to have a good teacher you might have learned to apply most of what you are taught. But then that tech gets sent back to his or her respective garage where he continues to ride along with what ever tech management see fit to teach. Now based on what i have experienced you learn quick who's brain to pick when you need an answer to a problem and who you know will not be able to awnser. It takes an average of 6 months to a year just to get enough of a grasp of what you are doing in the field to get by with the numbers management expect. About 2 years to get comfortable with the plant you are working in, and that is for the more technically inclined tech. Some techs we have barely get by are dumb as a box of rocks. But they still learn how to get the job done. But some that are more technical become a goto person for management usually become somekind of specialist so to say, CANNOT be replaced. You may think you can do my job and you maybe be able too. But it takes time, Its not just about training it is about experience. WHOOPTY DOO you have 15 yrs experience contracting. You still don't have the knowledge of my plant or the experience trouble shooting it that i do and guess what you never will. Because if we do go on strike, your time scabbing will be short lived. Sure the company has money to hold out for a while but I gan gaurentee you that they won't hold out long. To much at stake it is going to cost them too much. By the time you figure out what area is what will be right back to doing what you do best contracting, and we the people who have worked to make sure this company is what it is will be right back to working as at&t bargained employees. For those of you that think the company is going to just fire us and hire you. COME NOW, are really that stupid. The company has already invested too much in us to just let us go, and just start over from scratch training new techs, while you spend 1 month trying to pull your head outta your asses the company and the union will be resolving the issues and when it is all said and done you will be right back in the unemployment line. Don't for a second think any mokey can do my job if that was true, the company would have impelemented a monkey training camp. That would be funny though.

To Posted by Anonymous | April 10, 2009 - 3:28pm
You have to be in management...where do you get those figures? Put a Manager on the spot with actual independent data and they either shut up or continue to pull "facts" out of their ass that are only opinion and not actual fact. Opinions are OK just don't present them as facts. If god forbid you are a UNION employee then do some actual research instead of listening to management.

To reply to... I got news for you...........the company has been training their folks for the last year in anticipation of a strike. No one said your jobs were easy, but they are learnable and have been. Your right about one thing that this will affect the customer.
Ok, these managers have been training for like 4 hours with interuptions from all techs and custoemr on the colateral leave behinds and conference calls... etc. then they havent used any of that knowledge for 6 months to a year. How good do you think mental retention is? I called my boss at 9am this morning to ask him today if he knew who to call for the new converted DSL tickets and I'm still waiting for him to get back to me. I cant wait to see them shoot cable trouble also. We have numerous leads that engineering wouldnt replace that have numerous wet sections that takes a day to clear 1 line for an experienced tech.. I cant wait to see how long it takes someone who has read the book about it to fix it. LMAO! Let alone setup a router in authenticating bridge mode for a business customer.. LMAO! oh yeah.. Theres some bridge tap on that uverse ticket thats 1200' away from the customers house.. If they only knew how to interpret a TDR as the prints show that it has already been cut off. LMAO! Cmon... you really think they can handle our work... maybe to switch a pair.. When was the last time they lifted a ladder?? put on a tool belt?? Pulled up a cross street drop with 4 lanes of traffic whizzing past?? GET REAL!

Cable cut in the bay area. Police Investigators believe it is an inside job. Have called in the FBI. Police and FBI say this was a deliberate act of violence and the person had to have the skill to know what they were doing. Put over 50,000 landlines out of business, 911, police, fire and hospitals. If they do get the person, and with a $250,000 reward. They most surely will. THis will not bode well for strikers expecting the public sympathy vote.

Who cares stop living beyond your means and spending all your bonuses, you wouldnt have that problem. NOBODY cares about mgmt or any other person who's commenting with these negative remarks, we going to do what we want! SHUT UP

What's rediculous is the proposed benefits package would still make this group the most compensated division in all of AT&T. They would get better benefits than mgmt, they'd get better benefits than the wireless unions and the wireline group is not the reason AT&T is making as much money as they are. Before mobility came on board, the wireline products were losing money hand over fist. Yes they're being asked to pay more, but since they currently pay nothing for medical, it's the equivalent of going from a Farrari to a Lexus while the rest of the employees in the company are driving Saturns.

I hope none of us forget when this is all said and done; we have to work together. It's also very important to remember the decision-makers are not in your local offices. That being said, everyone knew these issues (benefits / pensions/ job titles), would be on the table this year. The bottom line is the operating cost of our biggest competitor (cable) is much lower than ours. I like most Managers began my career as a non-mgmt person, and yes I was a proud card carrying Union member. We have different roles in the business, but at the end of the day we are all “worker bees”. You have to make a decision about what’s important to you and make the appropriate choices. If you can not live with the idea of paying a greater percentage of your healthcare, then you have to decide if that is indeed a “deal breaker” for you. I imagine it will come down to determining how much health care will cost each employee, not if in fact it will happen. At some point you have to face the reality of the situation at hand. There is very little to no support of the Union’s position by the public. It may seem unfair the contract expired during very turbulent times, but it is what it is. You may not like it…but this is the hand your were dealt. I pray the contract issues is resolved & we as a business can move on. I have the highest respect for folks in the call centers and working out in the field. If you can peform these jobs, you can make it anywhere in the business. Please… do not re-hash why then should you have to pay. You know why… the timing is like a “perfect storm”.

It is simply amazing how blind some people are to the fact that this company is just flat out using this reccession as an excuse to make more money. The company made 12.9 billion last year that is after they paid out all salaries, including all the top executives 33million. That is after they paid out all benefits, after they paid out all the dividends, the supplies, the trucks, the fines, the placement of a whole new fiber to the node network. which all costeed somewhere in the area of 115 billion. I know that here in the valley the company placed approximately 500 fiber nodes to heat up uverse service to as many customers possible. The basic uverse package is about 6 time more expensive then the most expensive pots calling plan. And from the node it still runs over the same copper pairs that you pots(plain old telephone service) ran over. It funny how the company points out that the wireline or pots service has dwindled down 20% over 3 years which, hey what do you know was about the same time at&t started pushing dry loop dsl, and uverse. So of course we lost pots services but they aren't lost, at least 80% of the 20% mentioned pots lines were upgraded to the more expensive dsl or uverse service, oh and not to mention more then likely that one pots line turned into a wireless number, or two or three for those of us that have family plans. So how can the company with a straight face say the union members that work wireline services are the ones with the richest health care. That is like asking why did the ceo of this company make 22 million dollars last year? Because somewhere someone thought he earned it? Maybe, most of us don't. But i bet you ask most managers if the technicians that work outside everyday climbing poles in the rain sleet and snow to make sure that your, pots, dsl,uverse, and cellular service, no matter what company you have cell service through, keeps working deserve the benefits and pay that they have with this previous contract. Most of them will say they do, if you don't think so then your just lying to your self to make your conscience feel better about stepping on all the people that make this company what it is. As far as next year goes I can tell you right now that the company will pull a much bigger profit in next year. Simple math all the fiber they laid in the past year all the fiber nodes they have placed they are all making money already. They company will still place some but not even half as many as they did this year, so what does that mean? Easy it means instead of the company spending 100 billion next year to place more fiber/ and fiber node they will make money off of the the now placed and in service uverse services then they will only have to spend 50 billion placing fiber. Yup that means twice as much profit and at half the cost. And you want to act like we are going under come on how stupid do you think we are? Auto companies didn't go down because of health care they went down because of ignorance and greed. We aren't asking for more pay or benefits we are just asking that you be fair to us. I know that is asking alot from you people that have everything given and provided for you. But be reasonible, Don't just step on us because we are littler than you or so you think. there are more of us then there are of you. Oh and all of you crazy contractors that think you can do my work, i don't place or replace cable I fix it. And i still have yet to see a contractor make use of any trouble shooting skills the he or she might think they have. Good luck trying to do my job

We're is these managers getting there information from WHAT RAISES ARE YOU ALL REFERRING TOO. We did not get a raise!

I keep seeing all this rhetoric about "fighting for fairness". Did the represented employees get their raises this year? yes. ow about their bonuses. Yes
So who fights for the "managers" (although many aren't supervisors)when they tell us "no raise this year and only half your bonus"
And by the way, management employee are on our 2nd year of the ATT Healthcare plan. Suck it up folks!

The way I see it, CWA has 2 choices:
1. Accept the fact that they need to pay their share of healthcare and get on with it.
2. Strike, lose pay while out, then have to do it anyway. I don't think ATT is going to screw around.

That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. We lose customers, WE ALL lose jobs.