I'm getting close to 20yrs at AT&T. In all that time I have less that 4 sick day. I've been a high performer and worked OT when it was needed. I'm few years from the rule of 75. I'm seeing all my friends from work getting the boot. Every surplus session I just hope my dept is not effected. I also watch the count of contractors go up as employees goes down. Teamwork is OUT....I'm not training anyone on what I do no matter what they say. Let me go and tough luck. I read all the comments from others and my heart goes out to you as I pray I make it another few years. It is so sad that AT&T is going this direction. I some times wonder if I get surplused then maybe 1yr prior to my final departure I wack out dept shared dir along with access rights for others. Leave a wake on my departure and hope it doesn't impact my surplus package. It stinks to live in fear when your a high performer and all you hear from leadership is HAPPY TALK. (I wonder how much they will give Dir TV Mike when they push him out, hope it isn't 157m like Whitaker a few years back)
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The previous 2011 benefit package had 100% severance pay for 20 years service, now is 50% - annual basic pay
About 50%of your net salary,
What is the severance pay supposed to be for a 20 year Employee at A T & T?????
Perhaps the troll is in the wrong blog,, keep coming back for updates "knack"
Again, just because someone disagrees with your opinion doesn't make them a troll. Grow up!
Our friend "knack", just changed names, now he is Anonymous, 'troll' is an abusive or obnoxious user who uses shock value to promote arguments and disharmony in online communities. Named after the wicked troll creatures of children's tales, an internet troll is someone who stirs up drama and abuses their online anonymity by purposely sowing hatred, bigotry, racism, mysogyny, or just simple bickering between others, I recommend to put your efforts at the ATT site, funny
Just because someone has a different perspective doesn't make them a troll. He has a good point. If you did your job and were well compensated during that time then both you and the company have been given what you deserve. The company is greedy. The company is not loyal. But they don't have to be. And they don't owe anyone anymore than the pay and benefits agreed to. No one is working at AT&T against their will. If you are not happy with the situation you can leave and you don't owe them anything when you do. Loyalty is a two way street. Both parties can freely terminate the arrangement at anytime.
It looks like our friend "Krack" is another ATT troll,, funny
You have 20 years, yet you are complaining and talking about sabotaging the company. You got paid well for 20 years, yet somehow you act as if you deserve more. Yes, I get it that the company is in it for themselves and the bottom line. But if you have 20 years experience and are qualified then just go work somewhere else if you get laid off. If you are a high performer, what are you worried about. Yes, the economy can be bad, but at the same time there is always work for someone if they are truely a great performer. If I got laid off from them after 20 years I'd just say thanks for the oppertunity, I've made out great and paid well for 20 years.
I have a different take on the issue, the ones affected are based on how well you get with the supervisor, HR, does not get involved in who goes or stays, the people that left my unit were the most knowledgable and used to have discussions with the clueless supervisor we have,, these professionals carried many of us for many years, helping us doing our jobs, 8 out 24 were cut, the less knowledgeable employess are still laughing at third desks, very sad,
to 134631 : So, you are in wireless, can you answer a question for me? I am a customer Rep in the SE area, will there be layoffs for the Reps if they are under achievers? Thank you. I have not been with the company that long, several were hired after me however. Normally I am a high achiever however, for the last month my metrics have dropped.
Does anyone have any idea what I can do to improve my chances of keeping my job (AT&T Training, higher Evals, etc?) - -- First and foremost, hopefully you have some dead weight in your immediate work group. By that I mean folks who are formally documented as being underperformers. The rub there is that many managers choose the path of least resistance and rate everyone basically the same, because it is easier for them to do so rather than provide the honest tough feedback to an underperformer, or put them on some type of performance improvement plan, and/ or formally document every screw up the person makes. These people are lazy managers, and there are a whole lot of them. This is the reason that you are hearing about people with high performance evaluations being surplussed. I guarantee all of their peers probably also had high evaluations. Because as many have noted, at the end of the day it simply comes from the L4 or L5- "I need 4 people" (or 1,2,3, whatever the number is that need to go in your group). If you have documented underperformers in your workgroup, they will be first to go. If you don't, it could end up being a popularity contest. The other thing I have noticed is that folks that have been happy working in an Engineering role, that in fact may have been very good at their jobs, that were promoted into this role some time ago though they never had nor obtained an Engineering degree are being shown the door. Again, this makes for an easy selection process. Not necessarily fair in any way, but easy So if you work in an Engineering role, have or get your Engineering degree. If you work in a Project Management role, have or vigorously pursue your PMP certification, etc. etc. I give you these observations as a 20 + year employee (non management, management) on the wireless side. Take them for what you will. Good luck.
28 out of 39 let go on Monday. We have to be out by the 21st of Aug.
The answer will be, The impossibility to still have a career with a big technological entity such ATT, when you are voluntarily entering into an unequal employment situation because you are thinking if you work hard, you can be successful. Well, mostly you won't because the cards are stacked against you from the beginning
The comment below is right on target, start by finding a company that values employees, and develop yourself, best luck to you!
I was an engineer in corporate and I was surplussed. We have no union. They made all of us "management" with the expectation we be on call 24/7 and work a minimum of 12 hour days. Looking back on it, I wasted a lot of time working hard at AT&T. Any valuable skill I learned came from classes or projects I took on myself outside of AT&T. There is no security at AT&T and working extra for AT&T is just wasting valuable time that could be invested elsewhere.
First, You must have a clueless supervisor, second, keep your mouth shut all times, and last but no least commend your supervisor for a job well done....that will keeo you in the company another 4 years.
I'm the originator of the initial comment. I'm not Union and I know I will only get 60 day. I was surplused in the past and it stinks. Difference is not I've I was to get surplused again finding a job is a long shot. I wish I had some idea of what I could do to be more secure. Does anyone have any idea what I can do to improve my chances of keeping my job (AT&T Training, higher Evals, etc?) Anyone know the answers?
There is little Security at most companies these days. I have worked nearly 40 years and know that att is NOT the company it used to be. You speak of your high performance as if that will sustain a job. The company was built on loyalty and therefore you are surplussed by lower seniority, DONT BE ANGRY IF THE PERSON next to you is not pulling their weight, that is a management issue .Of course in my day,there was excellent training, accessible M& P, pride in the job and family oriented peers who helped one another, this no longer exist !! The UNION was stronger because the people were more engaged to the union,had it not been for a UNION (THE WORKERS UNITED) ,trust me ,you would not have the wages and perks you have today.There are so many folks frm other companies in shock to hear what att has given to employees ie benefits,discounts,etc and higher wage scale than most others in same industry. att is a new att, with a new management style that puts blame on its workers when things don't go right.they are non supported because they have low skills and no experience on the work or dealing with people. I would take the offers att makes and do good with them and move on cause its not going to get any better.
Regarding my avatar, I see it as a representation of "The beatings will continue till morale improves." As a person who is neither craft nor a manager, that mentally is how I go home feeling most days. (the beatee, not the beater).
Union officials refused to allow workers to opt-out of paying for union politics and other activities
St. Louis, Missouri (April 29), 2009) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a St. Louis-based AT&T employee has filed unfair labor practice charges challenging a local area union’s compulsory dues requirements.
Despite resigning her union membership in 2004, Jeanette Burton of Imperial, Missouri was never informed of her right to opt-out of union dues used for politics and other non-bargaining activities. When Burton attempted to exercise her right to stop paying dues, Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 6300 union officials ignored her objections and continued to collect full union dues from her paycheck.
Moreover, union officials continued to force Burton to pay dues after the union’s contract with AT&T expired in April 2009. The union’s previous agreement with AT&T contained a provision requiring nonmember employees to pay union dues for collective bargaining, but after the agreement lapsed, Burton could no longer be compelled to pay any dues to CWA officials.
CWA Local 6300 also failed to provide Burton with a federally-mandated audit of union financial expenditures, which is necessary to allow workers to determine whether they are being forced to pay more than can be required as a condition of employment.
Under the Foundation-won Supreme Court precedent Communication Workers v. Beck, nonmember employees can be forced to pay certain union dues as a condition of employment, but they cannot be compelled to pay for politics, lobbying, public relations, and other non-bargaining activities. Union officials are also legally obligated to inform workers of these rights.
The Foundation’s unfair labor practice charges seek an end to all unlawful union deductions and guarantees that the union hierarchy will comply with its Beck obligations and reimburse nonunion workers’ forced dues. The case will now be investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.
“Workers shouldn’t have to jump through legal hoops just to protect their hard-earned paychecks,” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “The only way to stop future abuse is to pass a Missouri Right to Work law, making all union dues strictly voluntary.”
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You don't have to pay your dues if you're not happy with the union (or any other reason for that matter. Just inform HR to stop pulling them out of your check.
The common feeling shared by Prem Techs is that the CWA does not represent us, sure, you can defend that statement by pointing to grievances and investigations where a union steward is "present" and there to ensure our rights are not violated but, that's nothing more than a formality to which most techs (who do their job properly) will never see or need.
The sentiment most commonly felt lately is why do we need the CWA? It's a legitimate question that should be answered. We feel that we would be better off without representation and put the union dues back in our pockets. Every policy change that Core (CWA) does not like gets passed down to the prems, it's like we are the dumping ground. It's hard to believe we are part of a Brotherhood when we get treated this way. And why is it? I understand the "work down" in title which gives senior members first dibs, but, what about standing together, unifying. So that all of us can live a little better. Att profits are through the roof and yet, the CWA has cowered and failed miserably to unite us as a "union". we are more and more becoming every department for themselves which has caused animosity and anger towards the stewards on up. The devision is working, we have been conquered.
CWA, stop robbing our paychecks for your own salaries.
-prem tech
Premtechswillunite
You will get a call and told " you are not needed anymore"
How does one know if they are surplussed? Can Customer Care Reps be surplussed?
I work for ATT (wireless sales.) I can say that It does feel like we work for the companies like Goldman and Lehman Bros.
Between arbitrary sales pressure, constant complaints about our network and unenthusiastic corporate bosses I feel hopeless.
For instance, did you know that att corporate raised sales goals during christmas and iphone launches to protect themselves from paying us too much? Right, they don't want us to achieve the metrics.
We get paid according to how close we get to our total monthly goals. If you exceed the goals you get paid more; something I feel is fair on months like December and June (iphone launch) when we have to deal with all the extra bullshit, clueless senior managers and do nothing superviors
Hearing a speech from Luke Wilson is nice but It doesn't really mean anything. I'd rather hear it from someone who isn't for layoffs.
Http://www.dailytech.com/Amid+Low+Employee+Morale+ATT+Turns+to+Inspirational+Speech+From+Luke+Wilson/article17211.htm#sthash.Be6YqCC6.dpuf
No loyalty man, just profits
If you are surplused you won't have 1 year notice but more like 3 months at most. Best of luck to you and every other 1st and 2nd level at AT&T. I would suggest to many of you to find out who the contract companies are since you could probably go there to work if laid off. There will still be work to do and most in my area think we will just move to the contract companies. I already know the contract companies and have worked for those that are in charge of certain departments. I was also told by some that my job would be an easy job to transition to contract. In the Bay Area most of us think we will either stay and be contract administrators for contractors, or be the contractor. But who knows.