Day 22 of the strike with no end in sight. The $3000 we had set aside is now depleted and the $200 union stipend barely covers necessities. We refinanced a car, we changed auto/home insurance, and we begged off deposits for our sons sports teams. We had to go to my insurance (my husband is the destitute, depressed Verizon/CWA employee) which by the way runs $298 per pay. The mortgage company, credit card companies, PECO, bank ...they have no sympathy for the union workers. I overheard my husband on the phone with his parents yesterday saying how he wished he'd die or that he'd never wake up. This is not a normally emotional or depressed man but this strike has brought him to his knees. And i don't wanna hear, "just cross the line," we all know the repercussions should one take that step. Our life is at a standstill. Our youngest son is contracted to play baseball in Omaha in June and Rehobeth Beach is July...we'll be sleeping in our car if things don't improve financially. "Get another job" scream others. Pretty sad day when lowe's tells you they are going to keep looking for qualified applicants b'c you don't fit the bill. Home Depot is all excited though, getting a skilled worker for $10 an hour and 25 hours per week. Wow, that would net him a whooping $250...with taxes, $200...Wake up union...it is 2016 and yes, people in mainstream society do pay for a portion of their benefits, they do occassionally have to travel for business, and sometimes, they are being outsourced-via call centers located in Taiwan or computers linked remotely. Verizon offered mediation. Get your members back on the job and start genuine talks. Both sides have to give and take. We tried to preplan for a strike, although admittedly did not see a threat 10 months down the line. We have come to the end of the rope and the options seem to be death by drowning (in debt) or death by noose (as the company and the union both try to behead the opposing side.) Sounds like a grand future awaits us. Give it another week and we'll be without phone, internet and cable, our home will be in the early stages of foreclosure, cars will be sitting in parking spots sans insurance coverage, and our dog will be sharing her cookies with her humans. Wonderful!!
22 replies (most recent on top)
GO COMPLAIN TO THE CWA WHO PUT YOU INTO THIS
So u have cable and a car payment, lucky u, why don't u get off your assand get a job yourself
It's funny to see a post about union life from the perspective of a troll. You made it so real because you can relate to this weak minded way of thinking.. Some day you might actually have a spouse ...
It is BS i find it hard to believe everyones child has some great problem a few days after our insurance runs out, then this come on, bills are due monthly, assuming you are current on your bills pre strike you only have one bill at your house, 3k should have paid most of them, this is bs please disregard
@cwz.....huh?
Sounds like you are living paycheck-to-paycheck long before this strike ever started, get your head out of your ass
If you only stashed away 3k and it's gone in 21 days, your a fool.
True...no verizon/cwa whatever would put things like this out there but his wife would...when i see our life falling apart over his fears and disappointment...damn right I am upset.
He aint a real tech because if he hasnt cracked under the horrible,deplorible ,terrible working conditions at verizon then that man is a true warrior and would never crack under this petty sh--. Remeber dont sweat the petty sh--. Pet the sweaty sh-- !
The union got 400 mil what's the problem.......solidarity
If the OP is as desperate as she sounds, the choices are fairly obvious. Go back to work or take a distribution from the 401(k). Either way has consequences. If you just cannot go back, then you have your answer. Just remember that if you do take money from the 401(k) there is a 10% penalty for most people on top of the normal taxes you pay on it. But since you're not making your normal pay, the normal tax on the distribution would just replace the normal taxes you would pay when all is said and done. I'm not a big fan of 401(k) loans because my understanding is you pay the money back with dollars that have already been taxed. Yet when you take your distribution from the plan at retirement, you pay taxes again on those loan repayments. Double taxation. Your choice.
@vxu - you moron. There is no "outrageous interest" on a 401k loan. You pay a small amount of interest and you pay it to YOURSELF!
Wow one month of little to no income is all it takes to put a family in financial ruin? Living the American dream? Paycheck to paycheck with the big house and nice cars so you can keep up with the joneses? Oops...
401k Distribution. Emergency Withdrawal. Tax Hit? So what? If we are to believe the OP, it is that or start eating dog food. Easy decision in my book
Repercussions of crossing the line...
Think of it this way, if your husband does something very bad to himself or to someone else because of the pressure, are you going to say you're grateful that well at least he stood firm with the union? Or are you going to say that if you could go back you'd have him cross and save himself and the family? When it all comes down, you, his family, should be the ones to whom he shows loyalty. No one else, no company, no union, should ever replace that loyalty.
Ordinarily, I'd say if you're in a situation where another day, another week will make a difference, then hang in there. But that is not the current situation. If he's falling apart now, how will it be a few months from now when things are still unresolved? Is he declining to cross because of peer pressure? Maybe sometimes we have to be the man and do what's right and suck it up.
Better to take a tax hit than lose your home.
An easy decision in my book.
Likewise for a loan if you don't pay it, it is your money, all that happens is it becomes distribution and you take tax hit. Not a dumb idea at all if you are in danger of losing your home.
I personally know of many people who died before they ever collected their 401k.
In any case this is all fictional story by Anti-Union Spam Poster trying to spread fear among people on the picket line. Shameful.
Dumb idea to take a loan or distribution from your 401k. If you take a distribution before official retirement you will take a tax hit. If you take a loan how are you going to pay the principle plus outrageous interest without any income?
Snap Into A Slim Jim!
Union to cross in droves on the 13th.
You will lose again.
CWA is dead.
Full page ad newspaper, verizon hiring.
these scabs are going to be the newhires we work with when we come back to work in jan 2017
Then take a loan or distribution from your 401k you jackass ! Better than losing your home!
Of course we all know this is really just anti-union spam poster up to his old tricks.
No union employee would post their life on this site. If it doesn't make sense it's not true.