Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

"There hasn't been a time when I don't think about that letter the senior union members have as part of their contract which guarantees that they will not be laid off." That letter only went out to those hired pre 2003. You join the union now, you don't have that protection...

If you are selected for EWA, that actually means they are planning on getting rid of you.

I AGREE wholeheartedly with Post ID: @JYDQo3A-eqj......I was laid off recently (Sept 2016). What is surprising is that after being forced into slave labor working 18 STRAIGHT 12-hour days during this summers "strike duty" - just to earn a 4-day trip back to my family - I get the boot by the Basking Ridge boys (with full HR support). I'm glad the unions got their deal. Unfortunately, VZ then announces they are shutting down thousands of Union jobs and shipping the workload overseas! Talk about a culture of DECEIT!

How may I join union? I wish to be senior director in our organisation. I have high marks from University. I am most knowledgeable about agile and scrum. I am also to learn Hadoop!

rcn, in answer to your query, a resounding YES.

BTW, all summer? Seems it was over June 1st. Hardly all summer. In fact, no summertime at all.

@rcn...they may have been clowns walking in circles to you BUT who has a job? There was a time when the union tried to get 1st and 2nd level management unionized. At the time management turn their noses up because RIFs didn't exist back then like they do now. Today you can glue yourself to your seat and then to the floor and someone will come along with a saw to cut a whole in that floor to permanently get rid of you, no matter if you are a top performer or not. We are all just an HR number and it gets pulled out of that wonderful spinning barrel. Imagine not being able to shop during the holidays because there is always an expected RIF and no one wants to be caught in that nightmare. So before you bash the union, I happen to agree with the OP. There hasn't been a time when I don't think about that letter the senior union members have as part of their contract which guarantees that they will not be laid off. Imagine the security that that brings to many families in this environment where our jobs are being consistently offshore to countries who could care less whether the customer's service is up and working.

The Union might preserve jobs in the short run, but would you really want to be associated with the most embarrassing part of the workforce? Look at the clowns who walked in circles all summer, who would want to be a part of the crew?

I agree with you - I was forced out in July (management wanted to consolidate locations). Looking back, the corporate story that unions are plain old bad is just another lie to give management the 'power' to fire you any time for any reason (or no reason at all). I was a top performer for Verizon for many years, receiving raises top performer reviews, etc., year after year. I would have gladly taken a pay cut, paid dues and had been a part of the union team if I had known there was way to join the union and had I known I was going to be forced out. The path from the management side to the union side is unclear. Can it be done or does someone have to go to a lower position? I ask as I know others who are feeling the heat - leadership likes that everyone operates in fear that at any moment someone may come by your cube and walk you out - horrible way to work, not productive.