Am a Wire tech but if you are a core guy that's been with the company 25 + years take the money and go. For other young core guys could raise their families. ALL YOU GUYS ARE WORRIED ABOUT NOT HAVING NOTHING TO DO WHILE YOUNG CORE GUYS ARE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FEED THEIR FAMILY.
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20 years of service. 45 years old. Little one in 1st grade the other in 3rd. At&t is our family's only income. Two Engineering degrees. Surplussed (4) times already, first time was in my third year of service as an Engineer. Not planning to take the offer but will probably be surplussed in the future. Please don’t say all 20 year guys should take the offer. I need to work somewhere for many more years. When surplussed I’ll know I always hit my numbers, perfect attendance for all 20 years, and never used a day of FMLA. If they paid me in the last 20 years I was there. I am still working every holiday and OT even this week. It is hard to understand how so many are going to be let go with so much work out there. Midwest CO tech.
To the OP, no one makes life decisions based on how it will affect coworkers. Anyone with a brain wouldn’t expect them to do so. Go crawl in your safe space and wait for the storm to be over. Better yet for the sake of the mental health of your coworkers, you should quit and seek help.
Under 20 Years and Hopeful - you are correct about some of the senior techs and complacency, but there are guys like that everywhere at AT&T. Just like there are techs 20 years younger than me, have a horrible work ethic and try harder at getting out of work than actually doing the work. The Union protects them also. It’s certainly not a perfect system. What I have found is that bright, hard working guys (and gals) that want to work in a specialty group can do so if they stick with it and keep trying. Also, be careful what you wish for. One day soon you’ll turn around and find a younger guy telling you it’s time to step aside and let them have your job.
When I got hired on in 99 a bunch of techs retired because they were over 55 & their pension was a lot better back then & the stock was constantly splitting & insurance was cheap. Now the stock has been total sh– since then, post 99 pension is half of what it used to be & insurance is ridiculous now. Not to mention everyone’s personal business is there’s & not yours. I’ll stay as long as I can until since I put my 25 yr old through college & will do the same with my 5 yr old!
The "Union" has created an atmosphere of complacency! I've worked with too many people that feel "safe" b/c they have seniority and hold it over their co-workers heads. They do as little as humanly possible yet complain about everything. Many are barely competent. They feel they are smarter than everyone and hide behind their seniority. I am a "junior" technician in my area and have lost track of how many "senior" technicians come to me for help when they can't figure something out. Many of them, if they had to work in "the-real-world" would have a difficult time. This is a problem I've had with the "Union." What a different atmosphere it would be if a technicians "worth" was based on knowledge, ability and enthusiasm not "seniority". That's part of the reason why many of these people with 40+ years won't retire. Not to mention the many that failed to take advantage of their 401k's. So many of these people will end up dropping dead on on the job, never getting a chance to enjoy life after AT&T. Some by choice, some by stupidity!
Yea, but us older core guys can spell and write a complete sentence.
40 years I meant to say
If you been here over 30 years and can't retire, you didnt do it right, thats one huge problem with att, they set you up with all this good retirement and benefits and these old guys just have never gotten their c-ap together, and younger guys who are trying to raise a damn family have to go home, yall done raised yalls families. Stupid reckless boomers
Going 38 years STRONG,
U got to wait buddy!
I see AT&T really needs to hire more intelligent people!
I guess you’ll starve then because I’m going nowhere. Maybe I’ll pay you a couple bucks to clean my 🚽. I have mouths to feed and don’t forget some us started at 18 or 19 and are nowhere near retirement.
Woah, i got 25 years and I’m only 43, this will be my 17th, SEVENTEENTH, surplus. I’ve got 4 kids with my oldest in high school, why the f— should I walk out the door?
Some things never change. After 20 years here it still amazes me that as soon as there is a hint of a surplus, the techs who have been here 1 or 2 years start in on how everyone else should step aside so they can continue to show up and drive around all day returning work. These are usually the same techs that can barely read a meter, won’t hang a drop and will stab a work buddy in the back if it gets them a pat on the back from a superior. I’ve been thru 3 surpluses and have held onto a job each time by being smart enough to pass the company tests and a reputation for being a good tech that another group would want. NOT by crying for others to step aside and give me a free pass. You need to cowboy up, except what comes and then create your own work path, either here at AT&T or you can go succeed somewhere else.
Short my family for someone I don’t know. I’m sure you’ll find a lot of people willing.
Yeah, I’m 34 been here 9 years and I’m gone if offered 50k... being low man s—s and based on my time here I understand why some keep working. I still got waaaaaaaaaay too long before I think about retiring. Not saying it’s not a good career but if u look at these 20+ year guys... damn they’re defeated, limping and holding on for a reason to care. Never experienced the “ old Bell” so I have no memory to hold on too. It’s a new age where adapting is key and complaining only seems to work for the managers friends. I still got 10 good years to abuse my body and since seniority takes precedence over every single F-ing thing here, F this place. Talent should trump age in a production environment, their is no incentive for going above and beyond. Everyone here is just “ one pair at a time” type of guys... it k–led my spirit and I wish y’all the best but this will not be my coffin... Godspeed gentlemen.
My advice to ALL. Live below your means and max out your 401k. Then when the offer comes you can take it.
I am so gone. I only hope I can get the money before the older guys get it! Save when you can so you can run when all things get where you can!!!!!!
So let me get this straight, I’m supposed to retire early so you can keep your job? It sounds like a long shot but I hope you get to where people are urging you to get out of the way. You’ll realize then how little 30 years is if you started young.
OP. I totally get the sentiment. I am 55 and have 20 years. But having a child born with a terminal illness, putting the other 2 thru college and an unwanted divorce as the cherry on top I need to work a bit more. I admit I felt the same way as you. Wish you the best and hope that those able to go will make a spot for you.
I am 52 with 30yrs in November and I am a core guy in the Midwest. I agree with the previous poster on this subject. I will leave when I am ready to go not at the request of younger techs.
I normally wouldn’t respond to this type of post but in this case I feel a response is justified. I once was in your shoes. In fact, I was the junior guy in my crew for over 15 years. I now have 28 but I’m only 51 years old which is a long way from retirement in my mind. Your desire for older people to take this offer is really just you looking for a handout as far as I’m concerned. There is absolutely no way to know and appreciate what everyone’s particular situation is. Some people are paying for their kids college, some have medical bills, some have a terminal illness in the family, some are single parents with only one income. I could go on. In summary, I’d just like to say; Take control of your own situation as best you can. Work smart , make the best decisions you can with the information you have available, and don’t count on the actins of other people to help you keep a job