I don’t want to see anyone suffer, but if you really need to cut costs and are looking for layoffs (that is what this board is about, after all), I would choose an administrative assistant over the front line man who installs or fixes our network. The former has little to do in an age when computer processing allows managers to do most anything on their own, but we can’t deliver services without our network. And you know what - because they both have healthcare, 401k, etc, there is not much difference between them in cost - just the value you get in return. They need to lower the administrative assistant per manager ratio over time. Frankly, it’s obvious many of them have little to do, and I can’t help but wonder if they keep their jobs to help out diversity scores. (There aren’t too many women techs laying fiber, I’ll tell you that.). Maybe it’s just easier to layoff a tech you don’t know than the woman who compliments you on your new tie in the morning.
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@4gnw -
I'm a woman fiber splicer. Before doing this job, I did programming, database and computer/network hardware/software troubleshooting, as well as instructing others how to do same. All this took "skills". You'd be surprised at the kind of "skills" it takes to be a splicer. It sounds like you may not know exactly what - and how much - we do. I won't bore you with the details, since you probably aren't interested anyway. Let's just say that you wouldn't be able to do any of your "programming language for relational database management systems, aka SQL, Oracle database ect."unless we did our job first. Don't look down your nose at another occupation type and sneer about "very little skills". That is just uncool.
Oh yeah - I'm a single mom too - and went to college full-time while working full-time while my child was a toddler - but that's just life and does not make me - or you - any more special than anyone else.
This is the most absurd post I've read. "There aren't many women laying fiber?" Perhaps your job is extremely basic. I am a woman, I am also a single mom. I went to college for nursing which is frankly irrelevant now. Post college I mastered how to use programming language for relational database management systems, aka SQL, Oracle database ect. Frankly "laying fiber" shouldn't be celebrated as a gender specific accomplishment when it requires VERY LITTLE SKILLS. I for sure wouldn't compliment your cheap tie and I would definitely challenge you to keep up with the pace. Laying fiber" is just a task. Not a career. Ask for he milk man how he kept up with the times.
You guys still have Admins? The Overlords canned our Directv Admins close to two years ago, along with 50% percent of our Field Supervisors, our Fleet manager, 2 of 3 Warehouse personnel, our Trainer and our 2nd line.
We now work out of raggedy azz half-dark building with no copier that works, a broken bathroom, with supplies that sometimes arrive but mostly don't, broken down trucks, torn 2 year old uniforms which we really haven't been wearing for months, two crazed junior supervisors hoping to stay employed for another month and every 3 to 4 months we get a newly assigned AT&T 2nd line who shows up once and is never heard from again.
Yeah - you guys rock!
My new OPT manager,was a clerk, female, white Caucasian, divorced, no children, never worked the field, no college degree, 25 years seniority AND a minority in out team, diversity pays off,
First and foremost, I would choose idle workers, idle due to lack of work.
The "managers" need the admin staff because they don't know how to do their f$^&ing job. They need someone to cover up their mistakes and blame for all their shortcomings. And BTW, in case you haven't noticed, they will take credit for all the good ideas that their subordinates come up with. I accomplished this,I facilitated this, I completed this. All the while sitting behind closed doors and doing nothing.
Our managers have more admin staff under them than Techs! The ones that work from home say "Email me please don't call".......
Where I work the whole area uses techs as administrative assistants.It has been going on for 20 years ! What a great culture we have where instead of hiring a low paying administrative clerk at 12 dollars an hour, we move a 40 dollar an hour trained cable tech in to be the 1st levels secretary.