Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

To the person who wrote the very nice phrase "To anyone who reads this remember you work to live, not live to work"....I do agree but do we have choice sometimes?? If we are Management and told we have to work every weekend until testing completes and this messed up project gets delivered and our outsourced development and testers are dragging their feet as long as they can to get paid; well what choice do we have but to work thru lunch, late nights , weekends etc? The thought is nice in concept but does not always translate to the real life work environment which one can assume will only get worse with less funding and less people to do the job(s) with the constant layoffs.....Amen

"@YnPVZp3-tof How is working at AT&T like being a victim of domestic abuse? You might actually be insulting people who are suffering violence by equating it to your well paying job. You are free to look for a job elsewhere and your employer isn't going to show up and punch you."

You are ignorant. The person was explaining their feelings. When you give you heart, passion and hard work to a company and then be kicked to the curb because you are not longer wanted but you will do anything to stay and look for another job just to stay then you feel abused. There are more than one way of being abused besides physically. It is mentally abusing and if you don't get that then I would seek help or try to find some compassion.

It actually states in your exit package that all of your current job bids in CareerPath will be cancelled upon you leaving the company. But you can bid on jobs as an external job seeker....... but why the hell would you want to do that??? LOL

@YnPVZp3-wnt The issue is that you simply aren't being abused. You are working and getting paid. Work is not abuse. Not being happy with your job is not abuse. Gallop polling shows 63% aren't happy with their jobs. There are no other jobs for them all to switch to. Of course you are doing things you wouldn't like to do in conditions you don't want to do them- it's called WORK. The adults are aware of what work is. Maybe you can find an adult and they will fill you in on what actual suffering is. Perhaps you can find a job you are happier in. Go for it. You still aren't abused.

I believe you misunderstood what I mean by domestic abuse. Let me explain-

In abusive relationships the victim knows they would be happier if they left the relationship. However, they stay because they are scared of leaving.... they fear what life would be like without the abuser. Typically the abuser has moments of affection / token of appreciation in order to keep the victim confused, which is similar to what you will see... surplus, bonus, surplus, engagement events, etc.

So I apologize if I offended you by my statement. The comparison with At&t is more to the emotional cycle of the abuse as opposed to the physical aspect of it.

To anyone who reads this remember you work to live, not live to work.

OP. It was likely a programming task that did that. Don't take it personal as there were many awesome folks that were sent packing as well. Hope the 28 years put you in a financial position that allows you to take some chill time and then find another gig. Look ahead, not behind. Good luck

Before I worked my 28 years at T I was laid off twice during my career - once after 7 years at one company and once after only 3 months at an airline (working on IT). Someone at the airline told me to interview at Ameritech and I got hired.

T is a wealthy company compared to the airline and my first job out of college. That's part of the problem, finding another company. Back during the pre-housing crisis days, Wall Street employees made $600K a year. They'd laugh at us if they knew how hard we worked and how little we made.

You have to reinvent yourself and move to what you want, like I had to do. I took T's 2015 offer for retirement and now have even another opportunity to do something that pays well and is both different an fun. Good luck.

@YnPVZp3-tof How is working at AT&T like being a victim of domestic abuse? You might actually be insulting people who are suffering violence by equating it to your well paying job. You are free to look for a job elsewhere and your employer isn't going to show up and punch you.

Sorry that happened to you. I was surplussed in 2009. I was 1 of 3 people out of ~250 that found a new position when they surplussed our whole organization to tech mahindra (I worked on the original uverse software). You did get priority looks at your applications over anyone else. The problem is that large number of people competing for a small number of slots right now. People on my current project were surplussed in this round (and today was their last day too). Weird time here. They're really looking for more and more cuts right now.

I am so sorry. After that many years, At&t becomes more than a job, it becomes part of our identify. But believe me, there are more jobs out there. Working at At&t is like being the victim of domestic abuse. You will be ok and you will be happier. Life is too short to live it being abused by people who don’t know how amazing you are.