Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

Open letter to Mr. Stratton and Mr. McAdam

Today, I have witnessed the most ruthless and heartless layoff rollout in my entire career. People who have spent decades in the company and believing in its leadership. People who would not hesitate missing a child's game or recital. People who would answer late night calls without complain. People who have consistently given above and beyond. And in the end, they get a phone call, and then asked to leave; Without the decency and the dignity of being notified face to face. I understand that you have to keep the company profitable, but once you open your bonus check next year, I respectfully ask that you remember the thousands of people who were impacted today and countless others in their family. I understand you have families too, and probably like me, you will do everything to provide to them. But I will not do it at the expense of thousands, my soul is worth more than that. I wish both of you well, I really do.

-VZW veteran, 19+ years

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| 879 views | | 27 replies (last November 1, 2015) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+EdRpLM5

27 replies (most recent on top)

I was a VZW employee and after 15 year with the company I resign, gutless store manager was being pushed by his District Manager to get rid of me. Bottom line is that after 15 years of service I had accumulated too much vacation, and have reach top of my pay scale, hence I had become disposable, Verizon sistematically target employees like myself and now they found a way to rid the company of thousands of people like myself that put their blood sweat and tears every day and contribute to delivering huge profits. Its scary times for many displayed employees but there are many other opportunities out there. I will not be surprized if a class action lawsuit pops up, this company certainly deserves a Union.

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Post ID: @2wCG+EdRpLM5

when he opened up by having people raise their hands for how many years of SERVICE and go to the people with 20 years and more and said, WOW you people are old, we knew what was coming, I'm shocked the lawyers allowed him to talk like that - age discrimination at it's finest!

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Post ID: @2jxF+EdRpLM5

I agree that the failure here was overarching lack of planning for years which allowed the inefficient system of hq, Region's and areas. I think the new system is smarter but how they went about it is awful. My managers have always been amazing at Verizon wireless. And I am thankful to have worked here for so long. I was sparred this week but many many many people I care about were not. I am also glad the severance packages were really good so it helps those impacted. I haven't seen the union do anything good for the wireless Union stores. But the threat of further unionization seemed to improve non Union employees situation for a while there. This obviously was a very bad week. I'd join a union in a heart beat if I thought it'd stop future layoffs but that hasn't been the case for landline. So not sure how it would help wireless.

Good luck to everyone who was impacted in their next steps. Thank you for your time and talent. Your friends will miss you. And who knows we could be next. There seems to always be another layoff round the corner. We just have to be thankful for today.

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Post ID: @OWK+EdRpLM5

15 Year Wireline Vet, Listening to Lowell's Q3 spiel the other day, it sounded like everything is coming up roses. We increased the dividend.

At the same time, we are selling every Real Estate asset we have, and laying off boatloads of folks, even wireless. Long Distance was once the Cash Cow for this company, until LD was commoditized. This seems to be where Cell phones are headed. Applications of the future will need to ride on the Backbone. I do not see us creating the next facebook/twitter/instagram/or any other "Hit" application for the kids. It is not in our DNA. Good luck to all at this time.

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Post ID: @v6u+EdRpLM5

Instead of lay off employees they should have fired all these incompetent managers and supervisor who’s only job is to play dirty politics on the floor and promote favoritism, one hand Verizon beating up the drum how they protect “whistle blower” while on the hand when someone come forward they let go the “whistle blower” in the name of lay off, I think fed should step in with full scale investigation

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Post ID: @lxo+EdRpLM5

Time to rise up againt McAdams. UNIONIZE WIRELESS!!!

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Post ID: @vKC+EdRpLM5

OP, you nailed it. Thank you for your post, well said...

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Post ID: @mhA+EdRpLM5

Just an opinion. Please tell me at what point in time you believed this company was loyal? Profit is and has always been number one. Any company concerned more about profit and shareholders does not care about employees. If you are lucky to find a company that believes happy employees makes happy customers take it, they believe employees are number one.

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Post ID: @Xml+EdRpLM5

Most people want to work, and are miserable when they cannot. The ills of unemployment go well beyond the loss of income; people who lose their job are more likely to suffer from mental and physical ailments. “There is a loss of status, a general malaise and demoralization, which appears somatically or psychologicaly, it is harder to recover from a long bout of joblessness than from losing a loved one or suffering a life-altering injury. The very things that help many people recover from other emotional traumas—a routine, an absorbing distraction, a daily purpose—are not readily available to the unemployed.

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Post ID: @M6m+EdRpLM5

Lack of empathy you say? OMG wireless has watched with glee as wireline managements bleeds out like a butchered pig! Yup will make 14 months WE WILL GET A CONTRACT cuz McAdams wants to sell, and he ain't gonna get that without a contented workforce.

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Post ID: @S3n+EdRpLM5

Your next opportunity to join a union, do it.

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Post ID: @W17+EdRpLM5

Denny Strigl took the Wal-Mart approach back in the early 2000s whenever a wireless call center flirted with unionizing. Close the center and relocate the jobs to a new location down south. It happened enough to where people opted to lay low instead.

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Post ID: @YcK+EdRpLM5

Thanks for your years of service. Good luck in your job search.

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Post ID: @s6u+EdRpLM5

TIME TO UNIONIZE!!! Send a message to McAdams.

He put the company in hock with the Vodaphone deal, lets wireline deteriorate. Yup, he sure does deserve all that money.

Remeber this come proxy time next year. VOTEM OUT!! If you don't ,the vote becomes an automatic yes.

SEND THEM A MESSAGE!!!

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Post ID: @cdA+EdRpLM5

Stratton and McAdam are going to do to wireless what they've done to landline, bury it. They should both be replaced.

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Post ID: @MLz+EdRpLM5

He's not really a wireline tech, he's a plant who's here to make you dislike wireline employees instead of the guy who fired you. People are being played like fiddles and that's why the downward spiral continues.

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Post ID: @2eZ+EdRpLM5

Wireline has had rolling layoffs since 1999 - sometimes 3 a year - welcome to reality...... It was bound to hit wireless eventually. Sorry folks. Take it one day at a time. I wish you well in your coming job hunt. One word to the wise - it's no different anywhere else. Save your $$$ - Get out of debt and stay out of debt. Good Luck - Those of us still " here " will likely need your references when it finally hits us too.

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Post ID: @sae+EdRpLM5

@ wireline tech...I am appalled at your lack of empathy. Why wish this on anyone??? I also am an union employee. You are crazy if you think we are going to make it 14 months! The writing is on the wall for us too. My heart is heavy and I am praying for everyone affected.

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Post ID: @fjX+EdRpLM5

I am for now and it's a safe bet that I will make it to 2017, and beyond quite honestly.

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Post ID: @w6M+EdRpLM5

"........Wireline tech...do you really think that you are untouchable?! Don't be fooled, they are coming after you guys next......."

You're kidding, right?

Verizon has been screwing wire since day one,

selling it off, never restocking, absurd working condition,

case in point, look at what they are offering in contract "negotiations".

Why wireless doesn't just strike and go for the union is beyond me, (guts? Brains?)

but Slobama and his ilk have the labor laws so screwed up,

chickens might have already flown the coop.

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Post ID: @kgl+EdRpLM5

14 months to go I think I am ok

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Post ID: @S5g+EdRpLM5

They don't care. Did you show happy Stratton was on the Web cast?

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Post ID: @vKO+EdRpLM5

Wireline tech...do you really think that you are untouchable?! Don't be fooled, they are coming after you guys next.

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Post ID: @mL6+EdRpLM5

A lot of millenials live in their parents basement and are stll on friends and family plans...and heAlthcare till they are 26....fire the parents and you fire their income source. . And no one needs to defend the USA anymore because basements and video games are pretty sweet...

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Post ID: @Ubi+EdRpLM5

than not then oops my bad

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Post ID: @vR7+EdRpLM5

UNION!!!!!!! This would haver NEVER happened if you people grew some balls and unionized. Oh well, better you then me, I will get my 30 for sure thanks for the sacrifice.

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Post ID: @BsJ+EdRpLM5

20+ year employee impacted here. The leadership failure here isn't what occurred yesterday. It was the lack of vision that led to the overstaffing that was a 'roadblock' to our future success. It wasn't a 1 day leadership failure. It was an ongoing lack of vision and planning.

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Post ID: @Tug+EdRpLM5

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