Thread regarding AT&T Inc. layoffs

They just cut all of the Directv techs pay a couple of weeks ago. Cut mine by about 35-45% depending on how much OT they let me get.

I went to T-Mobile immediately. Just waiting on my contract date to suspend all lines and move everything. Att gave me 60 days. I figured I could extend the same courtesy.

Hopefully a movement will swell to send this company and shareholders a message. This isn't just about automation. This is also about cleaning up failures, bad buys and failed implementation. The bill is due. Why isn't Randall paying with his job? Comp and incentives?

cutting 1/3 employees means he is losing 1/3 employees * (their families +their friends) as customers.... that is millions of customers - way to go ATT. ATT already lost me and 4 members of my family as their customers.

You realize it's the old southwest bell people running the company now. Southwest bell was the smallest of the baby bells.and they are not very bright people. They can invent anything new aND now try to copy Google and Amazon.

It is getting worse, no one knows anything anymore, most Senior Technical consultants are gone, we have to figured everything by ourselves, most times producing incorrect and incomplete data, survival of the fittest, Our unit have projects open as long as possible, no one wants to go "above and beyond" anymore, no one is sharing knowledge, no one is sharing resources, no productive team meetings, supervisors are running scared, I can' t blame them, why anyone would do that when continuous layoffs are been advertised for the next 4 years, and senior management keeps everyone in the dark, precious

This just shows that people should leave AT&T. It is really not worth staying anymore. AT&T pays crap even T Mobile pays more and they are supposed to be inferior to AT&T. Why the hell stay. Either retire or get out and give AT&T the finger on your way out.

Con't.... The other flawed thing about these director only surplus decisions is...no one is allowed to vet the assumptions/decisions of said director. It irrespective of glowing mpp's (sometimes several years/Mgrs worth). And it leaves a lot of room for personal beefs and vendettas, esp with vocal employees and nos surveys.

There should some AM and even AVP sanity checking.

This happened in the Donovan org too. Director only decision. It came down to who ruffled this directors feathers. The AMs were totally surprised and unhappy with the choices this go around

Even funnier that the call center director will have the power to decide who stays and who goes. Or should that be....who she wants to get rid of???

funny, 60 days to find another job... HA HA

Manager surplus announced today at Georgia call center. Just how many not yet announced. It was emphasized that seniority will NOT be a factor in determining who will be let go. It will be solely at the discretion of the call center director. Those effected will receive their packages by the end of this month (April, 2016). Once they have received their package, they will have 60 days to find another job within the company. If they are unable to, they will then be off payroll.

The only reason AT&T is surviving this long is due to the genius people that built it who are unfortunately gone by now. AT&T is just living off the their hard work and brilliance. But, this good fortune is running out. Unlike the US hovernemnt AT&T cannot keep printing money to stay afloat or raise taxes, they need to produce and motivate the consumer to purchase their products. This once was a decent company. I started with AT&T wireless and enjoyed working there, niw a days I spend my time looking for another job. My coworkers that were once inspired to work hard and produce are in the same boat. AT&T needs to get rid of their leadership ASAP and change their culture that only breeds stupidity and incompetence.

The buck (pun intended) stops with him. He could pretend none of these frugality, head count cutting measures had nothing to do with his helter skelter purchases and chaotic vision. He could pretend like att inside of the Information Age was just too bottom heavy. Cutting/deferring his salary could signal he has some real skin in the game.

It also sends a message to employees that he's also accountable to us. We're shareholders too. But you're right... That's part of the culture sickness. And to forgo compensation probably crushes his old school ego. This is why it will be hard for T to play at a large innovative level, it requires paradigm shifts the old guard/establishment can't get their minds around.

For our CEO take a decrease in compensation until things straighten out, will show leadership and character traits which he has none of. Besides, taking decrease in compensation is admitting something is wrong which he does not see. He keeps telling everyone that we are on the correct path, the path that he envisioned wether he is talking SDN or Streaming video. He does not see that there is a problem at all. Thus, what is the incentive for him to decrease his compensation. Honestly, if AT&T wanted to cut cost, then why not look at all the various layers of management and executive compensation and start cutting there. I am sure AT&T could save several billion a year.

Ceo made 20 million in total comp a couple of years ago. Sense compensation is the biggest expense why hasn't he stepped up to not take a salary or at least defer his compensation until he can turn this all around, similar to the Ford CEO a few years ago.

That's what u demand with consummate salesmen like him.. You require he puts his money where is mouth is.

Well, this is the price one pays for Randall's shiny object buy everything ADD syndrome. The problem is when the bill comes due. The board should have put him on notice at the failed T-Mobile deal. But they let him hang around and do this dog and pony show without asking the hard questions about culture and creating a real company built on innovation not just on his hyped up personal whims and chasing things att isn't poised to excecute well.

He is accountable to the shareholders/board why can't those people see what's going on????

yep here it comes...the building I'm at has stopped hiring for all departments...the entry level group called general tech is at an all time low with staffing. Usually the building has 300+ reps on average in general tech,its below 100 reps now. AT&T started a new "attendance policy" that is ridiculous for entry level general tech and its put in place for you to fail. I can't believe I still have a job every time I come in. Great tenured reps that was old Directv blood are on the chopping block and under the microscope. This is because Directv paid its employees a good wage and old Directv reps are making way too much in AT&T's eyes. Schedule changes week to week with new "scheduling policy." Oh and this randomly ever changing "schedule policy" is only for the general tech reps...the one's they are pushing out. Already got a lot of general tech by getting rid of part time...its all full time now with only the exception of medical because they legally have to. So basically if you are in general tech for Directv,AT&T joint billing,or Uverse tech support...get ready to be canned. They already opened 2 Philippines centers,1 in Prague,and now Costa Rica...that's your replacements...

I heard is against AT&Ts company policy to recommend someone, with that been said, AT&T is notorious for the Back-stabbing culture, is tolerated by management at all levels.

If you stay ready, you won't have to get ready. There are teachable lessons here and that is to always cultivate (never neglect) your network/circle (reach out when don't need anything), be as loyal as your next best option, stay learning/reinventing.

And find ways to insulate from bad morale which could end up being a faster self fulfilling prophecy to the layoff list. Poor morale affects performance.

But hey, sometimes pushes are divinely ordained.

If you're in a s.e. call center then you are union. Those surplus notices come out quarterly, next one being in June. The supposed April notice is for managers.

Also, the1/3 # is not all at once. That is between now and 2020. Is the sky falling? In a way, yes; certainly it is for many people. But not nearly as fast as some folks on here make out.

1/3 of the company will be gone by 2020. That's 80,000-90,000 people. They are not making that all in April. And depending on who you talk to, anywhere from 10,000-20,000 of those are already gone.

Everyone's on borrowed time. Stop asking which vp/avp group is being hit. This is a rolling wide spread event, consider yourself lucky that a) you're not being surprised and having to look during q4/holiday b) there is enough notice to come up with a plan of action. Don't be the violinist who continued to play as the titanic was sinking. Consider the fact that you at least have 90 days. That's enough time to get most basic certs, supercharge your resume and professional/online social media presence. And resolve to never get so comfortable in a job again.

Staying past 5-7 years dramatically reduces your income anyway. And not every company treats employees over 45 like they have the plague. Millenials will age too and redefine age, right work and retiring when they're good and dam!n ready.

Is Glen Laurie over The S.E. Mobility ie: wireless call centers? Forgive my stupidity, but really need to know this answer. Ty in advance

Some people got laid off and Accenture took over under Shelly Lazaro also there is a 130 app rationalization happening as well.

I'm curious about the Donovan org too.

Any word on the Donovan org? Same as Stankey/Lurie's?

Notifications will be out by April 29th, ensuring all workers are off payroll by the end of Q2. Across all of Glenn Laurie's org, numbers are based on the group but 30% of each AVPs org have been mentioned multiple times.

OK, so where are the surpluses and how many? No one seems to follow up with these claims.

I think people's main job at AT&T is to find a new job. Get out as so as possible.

...but the good news for folks who hate the corporate culture (that is, anyone who is decent) get to escape.

Younare correct,

AT&T (NYSE:T) was the big loser, dropping 250,000 subscribers, while Verizon (NYSE:VZ) did only slightly better, adding 23,000 customers.The big three cable companies effectively tread water in cable in 2015, with Comcast losing 36,000 subscribers while Time Warner Cable gained 43,000 and Charter added 11,000 paying customers. Those results were encouraging, given all the cord-cutting fears, but they pale next to the explosive growth all three saw in broadband, where Comcast added 1.36 million subscribers, TWC gained just over 1 million, and Charter signed up just about 500,000.

Those gains were similar on a proportional basis for nearly all the cable companies LRG tracked, but the numbers were very different for the telephone company providers. Aside from Frontier, which added over 100,000 users to its 2.44 million customers, the telcos generally did poorly, or at least much less well.

Those layoffs are to offset revenue shortfall, "With all that in mind, we just can't quite get to valuations for the large-cap TelCos that support our current ratings, with AT&T stock lower outlook for the Wireless sector to Neutral, Verizon was downgraded from Buy to Neutral, and AT&T from Neutral to Sell."

financials are more optimistic about Verizon's stock partly because the nation's largest carrier has largely maintained its subscriber base without launching aggressive price-cutting campaigns as some other carriers have. And it said Verizon's mobile video strategy "is more promising than widely appreciated."

It's the beginning of the second quarter so I'm sure it will start hitting the fan

Wow. I don't understand why a company would want green off the street contractors over experienced employees??? Isn't that taking a big risk when you have someone with no experience reviewing contract terms and conditions? I don't understand at&t thought process. You Get What You Pay For

They should of got rid of associate directors instead of getting rid of 40 FTE. What nonsense you get rid of 40 FTEs and replace them with 100 green contractors. What is the cost of don't this long term? Even with benefits, employees will cost less than contractors and you do not have to pay them overtime.

Last year the entire contract management group under bob Menno was surplussed except for contractors and associate directors. All work was outsourced to CGI. CGI hired about 100 people to review and process contracts to replace the 40 Fte's cut. The associate directors oversee the process and sign contracts on behalf of at&t. Horrible to cut full time experienced dedicated employees but keep contractors and hire more through outsourcing to get past the 3 year contractor rule. All have attuid's and system access. Fte's trained them before leaving. AT&T saves money through benefits, vacation, etc

Randall needs a wake up call this blood bath did not have to happen. Mark my words though after the company is pilfered they bring back a ton as contractors. It will take a few years though.

But I'm sure he's sweet talking the board and assuring them he's leading them all to the promise land. Why haven't they brought in real management consultants. Why isn't he talking to his peers in similar verticles who don't have these sort of problems. The dude has serious ADD... He loves spending money on shinny objects ...and because the culture is inherently sick....can't/won't produce, then boom on to the next.

The board needs to put the breaks on this mess. Randall really has stayed too long.

It's haaaaapening!

Unfortunately it is typically the worker bees that get the ax. Level 2 and 3 don't get cut. They "oversee" work flow to outsourced group. In other words they continue to do nothing.

Yep. Word is out. Entertainment group management shaking in their boots. No one knows who is impacted but believe cuts will be deep. My sympathies to those that don't deserve this and karma is a b..... to those that do.

How many thousands if not a million dollars did they spend a couple years ago to bring everyone on one platform? Ditched the whole project last year because it was a big flop. No one would communicate and share info to make it a successful project.