I know you think that Verizon is going to fold, but they won't. Right now they are training new employees vendors in both the U.S. and abroad to do most of your jobs - and not just temporarily during the strike, but from now on. If it were me, I’d be hammering my union reps with calls – your job is at risk of permanent loss! Get back in there, folks.
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Frontier will not do the deal with an inexperienced work force dealing with an antiquated network. The result will be verizon wireless never separates and lowell will once again have a failed deal. Why this guy remains in charge with failure after failure is beyond comprehension. These corporate boards are too incestuous.
"Not trying to be a dbag here, but this is 100% true. Some groups are already so staffed with those who have crossed, and new contractors that are performing at the desired level, that the company seems to be shifting efforts to other groups which are only at partial replacement level."
Let's give him a round of applause - he's here all strike folks!
"Lotta time between now in the winter for a lot of on-the-job training......"
Not nearly enough for the newbies to learn how to deal with the plant that has been neglected for two decades by this company and its predecessors...
"Two months from now the fall will be just around the corner, and when the weather hits hard it will most certainly not be that."
Lotta time between now in the winter for a lot of on-the-job training......
there has been a cable failure going on since the strike has started , lee county fla scabs could not hit water if they fell out of a boat. would have had it done 2 days max
If this strike lasts it is predicted to be a VERY active hurricane season in Atlantic. El Nina?
And if VZ has any chance of selling off the residential wireline business it is much easier to do if thee aren't union attachments.
"So, it's just a matter of time (1-2 months) until every function is running efficiently enough with contractors, and that will be that."
Two months from now the fall will be just around the corner, and when the weather hits hard it will most certainly not be that.
But hey, McAdam might have just made a deal that guarantees him a mild autumn and winter this year, who knows...
The important term isn't 'temporary', it's 'contractor'. Over the last several years VZ like so many corporations and businesses of all sizes has done the math and figured out that giving more cash up front with no full time benefits and no employer/employee relationship saves lots of money. At VZ all call center jobs outside of NE are contractor and/or vendor. As union retires almost all replacements are contractors except where they have to keep a quota under the last now expired contract. As PMS get RIFed or leave they are increasingly using contractors so they only have to pay for already paid for (via signed customer contract) positions, and if there's not another project lined right behind it, or if the contractor gets bad survey marks they don't get signed on for another one.
"Verizon needs to get us(the Pros) back to work and settle this contract. "
That would certainly be the best solution if VZ could get all the good employees back. But, the company does not care enough about that to up the offer that has been made. The value is not perceived to be there. Remember, we are all replaceable (and I include myself in that category as well of course). So, it's going to be up to each employee to decide to come back or not. I think at this point we can be rather sure the offer is not going to change. It's take it or leave it. My gut tells me the company actually wants everyone to leave it. Sure, there will be some short-term pain (maybe through the summer if that's the case), but over the long it will be better for the company financials.
@biz the people that usually cross the picket line are the WORST workers. Any scab I worked with were not good technicians. The good workers are on picket duty, working side jobs and waiting for unemployment. If you are a good technician you probably have "life" skills (electric, plumbing, construction) that can equate to cash. Verizon needs to get us(the Pros) back to work and settle this contract. What takes these scabs hours to fix we can in 5 minutes.
"VZ HAS no intent to hire any full time replacements. "
Exactly. Everyone being brought on is under the "temporary" designation. Of course, temporary can mean a myriad of things. It could be just long enough to outlast the union.
"Warning: Your replacement is in training RIGHT NOW."
Not trying to be a dbag here, but this is 100% true. Some groups are already so staffed with those who have crossed, and new contractors that are performing at the desired level, that the company seems to be shifting efforts to other groups which are only at partial replacement level. The call centers are obviously the easiest to replace the workforce for, so it's logical that they were handled first. So, it's just a matter of time (1-2 months) until every function is running efficiently enough with contractors, and that will be that.
None of the replacements being hired are perminent. They are all contractors...100% of them. VZ HAS no intent to hire any full time replacements. It makes the economic strike argument irrelevant. Yes most EWA TEMP stop gapped are not doing much, and yes VZ HAS slow rolled most new installs, especially FIOS and POTS, but they are being replaced with the contractors.
They haven't seen each other or had food in 5 weeks. Some empathy would be appreciated.
Here is how great Union worker's are at their job. My EWA assignment is in a call center in Richmond, VA.
About 25 to 30 Union worker's have returned to work. I am taking anywhere from 4 to 6 calls an hour.
3 associates are sitting nearby 2 in my cube and 1 on the other side of me. They each take about 2 calls an hour. After they take a call they put their computer on sleep mode and socialize with one another for about 15 minutes between each call. Then the best is when catering services arrive with the EWA's breakfast and lunch and they are the first ones in line to get food that isn't even for them. What is wrong with this picture?
"If it were me, I’d be hammering my union reps with calls – your job is at risk of permanent loss!"
Fortunately, you are not one of us...
Exactly, I think Lowell's highly compensated labor "consultants" overlooked the pool of available skilled telecom workers. This isn't a coal miner's strike.
I'm been mobile picketing and for 4 weeks I haven't seen much getting done, boys....you want pics? they spend HOURS on phone, or waiting for help, or scratching their head,,, yeah, keep braggin'....
Now they are coming up from the south for relief, I haven't seen too much on their end either, except 2 gals doing some shopping at Targets...unless that was "lunch" lol 4pm...good replacement work
These replacement workers seem highly skilled.
Collateral damage, business expense deemed worthwhile by execs and shareholders, etc. Losing some revenue in one region of a global business is far outweighed by overall cost savings. That's why shareholder meeting was a debacle and why stock is staying up.
Uh oh. I better go back to work. I'm a scared.
Most people they are hiring have no experience. It will take them 6 months to a year to learn the job proficiently. Backlog of troubles and installs is growing by the minute.
You mean the replacements that are attacking people with pipes and machetes and running people over while hammered at work?
Yeah please hire more of them.
I think a judge would side differently. Verizon has tried to lure people back to work many different ways which is a violation.
That "unfair labor practice" was filed after the strike and is junk, anyway. This is clearly an economic strike…learn the laws.
unions - a group of people that want a lot of pay for doing basically no work. Only the greedy and lazy union people are holding out hope at this point.
Please read the labor laws! There is a unfair labor practice lawsuit pending. Which means Verizon can't hire permanent replacement employees. Please do some research before you post crap.
Warning I don't care!