Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

qod, I believe you're view of things is off the mark.

Wireless, for many years, had the easiest of rides. They were blessed with a combination of no competition and a wireline side willing to do the groundwork needed to make wireless work exceptionally well without exorbitant costs assigned to wireless.

Anyone can make money when all the headwinds are favorable. Anyone. One can essentially just sit back and watch the profits roll in. The true test of one's mettle is when monopolies disintegrate and there's suddenly a competitive environment afoot.

It appears that, in the US telecommunications arena, wireless has recently become a far more highly competitive game. Now, observe what unfolds. As always, the cream will begin to rise to the top while the strategically incompetent will languish, disintegrate and, eventually, die off.

Wireline has been competitive for years. If one's looking to tap into a vast well of tested leaders, individuals are used to and have successfully faced down formidable competitive adversaries historically (i.e., the cable companies), one needs look no further than the wireline side of the house where there's an abundance of highly talented individuals to be found within it's realm. Individuals running a hands on operation, overseeing a highly-professional diversified workforce of unionized men and women who prove their worth and mettle day in and day out in all sorts of adverse conditions.

because wireline was rewarded for loyalty; wireless for work...i was one of them; wireline made things move convoluted than it needed to be.....wireless more transparent, efficient

It is always about cheap labor. They may say it is about having or not having the necessary education and skills but it is always about cheap labor and always has been. 1700s indentured servants and slaves...cheap labor; 1800s bring in a lot of immigrants to work in factories and send natural born citizens West for their opportunities to own land...cheap labor; 1970s to now companies outsource factory jobs to China and other low wage companies through trade deals, insources cheap labor (legally and illegally) to do unskilled (hospitality, factories, etc) and skilled labor (IT), let people supplement their salaries with debt (credit cards, home equity loans, college loans), and take out unions...cheap labor. It is always about seeking cheap labor and lowering labor costs because headcount is the biggest cost item and the easiest to cut.

Union solves all of this

Great post @ETXwfOA-hwj

First let me say I'm sorry you lost your job. Through the words you use I think most readers of your blog can feel the hurt and anger you are experiencing. Many of us suffering through these horrific layoffs feel much as you do, but, with fingers crossed, and the passage of time, you too will be able to move on from these terrible times. You state that wireless employees are being realigned to the lan side of the company for much less pay. This is almost certainly being done by vz to save money. Whether any of us like it, it's a fact that the cost of labor remains a huge burden for most companies, especially vz. This company has sold its corporate soul, not to the Devil, but to the insatiable greed of Wall Street, just so it can wear the fools crown, claiming to be biggest. As a fact, not an opinion, China is the workshop to the world. Why? Labor costs are very low, nothing else, just that single fact. Cheap Labor is enough to send the biggest capitalization company in this country, Apple, to China to have its products made. India too is coming under fire and although it is yet to become a reality, India is being groomed by many companies around the world to be the global center for technical expertise. Why? We all know why, even Steve Wonder can see why. Cost of skilled labor in India is so much lower especially when compared to the U.S. We can, and do, scream about the lack of quality in those countries but that won't save jobs here. CUTTING LABOR COSTS is not just a budgetary need for vz, ITS THE HOLY GRAIL. If you are correct that vz is tranferring people from wireless over to wireline then the reason, as you correctly state, is cost. They get skilled people for less cost. Nothing, but nothing will stop this greedy blind company, except chapter 11.

wfOA, I disagree when you say, "anyone with the knowledge and experience will be gone.....". There will continue to be numerous unionized workers with knowledge and experience that will continue on in your absence.

Less money, more work that's the plan and zero job security