Verizon striking

[Muushka]

Really haven't had time to get back and read the last 5 pages of comments. I've been out, walking the picket line having complete strangers yell things at us, like "go back to work you F**%#$ idiots" Our response? "we'd love to."
Oh, and the big C word. That's always nice.

A customer at a VZ Wireless store pushed one of our women down to the ground, as he went in with his little boy, then on his way back out of the store gave everyone the finger while screaming F you! Classy!

It's not just us "big bad union members" who are able to act like some have portrayed.

See, there's that collective mentality. You belong to a union. You are bad. A member of a union (Tink for example) may not agree with anything that the union stands for. But because the union represents a collective body, everyone in that body receives that same label.

I understand that was not the purpose of your post.

 

[undertheradar]

Really haven't had time to get back and read the last 5 pages of comments. I've been out, walking the picket line having complete strangers yell things at us, like "go back to work you F**%#$ idiots" Our response? "we'd love to."
Oh, and the big C word. That's always nice.

A customer at a VZ Wireless store pushed one of our women down to the ground, as he went in with his little boy, then on his way back out of the store gave everyone the finger while screaming F you! Classy!

It's not just us "big bad union members" who are able to act like some have portrayed.

Why are you picketing the wireless stores when you are striking against the landline division? Seems to be trying to interupt all of Verizon's business. Looks like bully tactics to me.

 

[melmar136]

See, there's that collective mentality. You belong to a union. You are bad. A member of a union (Tink for example) may not agree with anything that the union stands for. But because the union represents a collective body, everyone in that body receives that same label.

I understand that was not the purpose of your post.

This is the feeling I get from most people here. You're in a union, therefore, you are lazy, entitled, don't really work very hard, you scream and yell at everyone on picket lines, act like an idiot, etc.

There are people who are any number of these things at ALL jobs. We have dead weight at work. So do a lot of others, I am sure who are not in a union.

I am college educated, I go to work every day where I do the very best I can at my job, I get along with all of my managers, support my daughter....Most of the people I work with are just like this. They never tell people to "slow down, don't do that much work, etc as has been stated in other posts.

I am out of work because my union is on strike against my company. I like my company, and my job. It is not me vs them. I want my job. I have been there 15 years. I just don't want everything taken from me that I have worked hard for. And being in a union, they try to make sure that doesn't happen. Pretty simple.

It's funny that the NFL was just locked out, and not once did I hear anyone even bring it up. The players' union obviously had their demands and the owners had theirs. But I never heard anyone call them entitled, tell them to get back to work, call them the horrible names I have been called out in public, etc. And most of them are making millions of dollars!!! I only want to keep my middle class job and my middle class benefits and that makes me so horrible?!?!?

 

[herdtoDisney]

I think you are confusing skilled and dedicated. Jumping a fence at 2am to fix the cable is dedication, not skill. Leaving your family to go in a bucket truck after a hurricane isn't skilled work, it is dedication to your job. Taking classes and being good at your job isn't skilled work.

I don't work for Comcast, but I know how and why those little wires work. I'm not certified to operate a bucket truck, but I could be. I probably couldn't hop a fence, but then again I've never tried. I take phone calls during dinner all the time. So while I'm not entirely skilled to do the job, in a few hours I could be. My job requires several degrees. And even then, I could easily be replaced by someone else. It is your dedication that makes an employer want to keep you, not because a union dictated it.

Wow, how patronizing. Just because the cable person's job doesn't require several degrees, like you have , doesn't mean he/she isn't skilled. The training and classes he took are as important to his job as all your degrees are to yours.

And I CERTAINLY wouldn't want YOU working on lines in my home or business, with your not-entirely skilled, couple hours of training, self.

 

[threecrazykids]

Why are you picketing the wireless stores when you are striking against the landline division? Seems to be trying to interupt all of Verizon's business. Looks like bully tactics to me.

Why? Because they KNOW that that's where the money is! They KNOW that the landline side of it is dying so let's go after the part of the company that IS profitable. Shooting themselves in the foot and not even seeing it. In the union's eyes Verizon is ONE...so let's go after the part that makes the money...regardless of the portion of the business the union people work for.

 

[undertheradar]

Please, comparing the strike of local union employees to that of the NFL. How stupid that millionaires walked out against billionaires and expected the average, everyday fan to support them. I don't care how short the average athlete's career is, that is a choice they make. The reality is that all of society is making due with less and the currently striking union employees embrace the entitlement mentality. If there continues to be a downward performance from the landline division, is it realistic that fewer emplyees will be required to maintain those customers? If those emplyees are more costly than the employees in your profitable divisions, where should the company draw the line? The hard choice is going to be able to accept that your skill set is not unique and that your compensation is too costly when compared to competitors. Helping to pay for the benefits would appear to extend job security for the length of the contract. Which makes more sense, having a job and helping to pay for your benefits or refusing to help pay and watching your soon to be obsolete job get eliminated?

 

[Loyola00]

This will only impact union workers in various states. This will have no impact on your wireless bill per they are not unionized.. Oh P.S. former employee here once union them management we do get a Vz wireless discount. It was 15 or 20 percent...

 

[sam_gordon]

This is the feeling I get from most people here. You're in a union, therefore, you are lazy, entitled, don't really work very hard, you scream and yell at everyone on picket lines, act like an idiot, etc.

I will say I don't think that about union members. However those that DO those things give other union members a bad name.

I am out of work because my union is on strike against my company. I like my company, and my job. It is not me vs them. I want my job. I have been there 15 years. I just don't want everything taken from me that I have worked hard for. And being in a union, they try to make sure that doesn't happen. Pretty simple.

Regarding the bolded... is the company trying to take EVERYTHING from you? I have no problem with a union protesting saying the company "wants too much". Where I have a problem is if the union doesn't counter offer (other than "status quo").

It's funny that the NFL was just locked out, and not once did I hear anyone even bring it up. The players' union obviously had their demands and the owners had theirs. But I never heard anyone call them entitled, tell them to get back to work, call them the horrible names I have been called out in public, etc. And most of them are making millions of dollars!!! I only want to keep my middle class job and my middle class benefits and that makes me so horrible?!?!?

Keep in mind the walkout/strike happened during the off season. If the regular season would have been affected you would have heard people griping at both sides.

Another difference is the concessions Verizon is asking from the union sound reasonable to us "non-union" workers. Why is it wrong to have workers pay toward their health care? Why is it wrong to have raises based on merit? Why is it wrong to freeze a pension? These things have been done at other companies across the country. And it's not that others want to "bring you down" or anything like that, but I (and I'm guessing others) simply don't see how it is SO bad that union workers end up with the same benefits the rest of us get.

 

[Loyola00]

Wow this post seems heated but to be honest and I worked there 15 years... Verizon took the pension away from management in 2005 and the union workers still maintained it. It's unfortunate but that is a thing of the past in most large company's. Union employees also receive unlimited tuition assitance at Verizon are they looking for that to change with this contract? Also union employees can take FMLA leave for themself which is the law and that's fine but it's paid leave at your weekly salary since most receive weekly pay. Most company's never gave paid FMLA leave or have taken it away completely. We are headed for a concession.

On the other hand I also respect the union point of view I had several years as a union worker and know how hard we worked for those benefits. Unfortunately lets face it landline business is becoming a thing of the pass and 4G wireless etc and broadband are the NOW. It's a no win situation. I would however, have to agree with the previous poster regarding VZ's CEO Ivan makes more than I will see in my lifetime in 1 year. Interestiong can he take a cut?????

 

[threecrazykids]

Wow this post seems heated but to be honest and I worked there 15 years... Verizon took the pension away from management in 2005 and the union workers still maintained it. It's unfortunate but that is a thing of the past in most large company's. Union employees also receive unlimited tuition assitance at Verizon are they looking for that to change with this contract? Also union employees can take FMLA leave for themself which is the law and that's fine but it's paid leave at your weekly salary since most receive weekly pay. Most company's never gave paid FMLA leave or have taken it away completely. We are headed for a concession.

On the other hand I also respect the union point of view I had several years as a union worker and know how hard we worked for those benefits. Unfortunately lets face it landline business is becoming a thing of the pass and 4G wireless etc and broadband are the NOW. It's a no win situation. I would however, have to agree with the previous poster regarding VZ's CEO Ivan makes more than I will see in my lifetime in 1 year. Interestiong can he take a cut?????

McAdam's is in charge now. He's from the wireless side of the company. You know, the side of the company that is keeping the rest of the company afloat. The division that has no unions. Coincidence? I think not. Get him over here to get this side of the business back into a profitable division!

 

[momejay]

I don't have much positive or negative to say about unions. People have the right to strike if they feel they are unfairly treated. A company should have the right to replace an employee with one that will work.

I did discontinue all my services with Verizon this week because when I called to ask a simple question about my services I was disconnected 3 times. If they keep treating customers this way there won't be any cash to pay salaries.

I wouldn't mind having a job even if I had to pay for a portion of my health care. Why should anyone be entitled to free benefits? If a company has more money, they can hire more employees and improve equipment or services.

 

[ccgirl]

I thought you might find this article interesting. It just came out today and talks about the rising costs to employers for benefits:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/money/28836257/detail.html

A brief quote from that article:

Skyrocketing health care costs: Health care costs are the most expensive portion of Heinz's benefits package. She has seen 12% to 15% annual increases for the last four years. Every year, she shops around for more affordable employee benefits starting months in advance.
She is not alone.
"Oh my God, my health care benefits have gone up 1,000% in 10 years," said Liz Parker, who owns The Tulsa Rib Company with her husband, Steve, in Orange, Calif. The couple runs a catering operation and a single-storefront restaurant. "We are really Main Street, small business America."

So, as these costs were continually rising, it appears Verizon was absorbing all of these cost increases for the unionized employees. At what point should the union share in these? IMHO, there is no time like the present. To make the employer (no matter how much they are making) continually absorb these costs is what I think is unfair.

 

[Judique]

THANK YOU! Very well said! The union leaders throw out 2 numbers for these union people and they run with it like it's the ONLY things that count in this company. 1. How much did the company report as profit? and 2. How much do the top execs make? That's all they care about. If those 2 numbers represent a positive number at the end of the day then clearly they make too much. Ignore how much of that profit goes BACK into the business as investments in the network, etc. And so what if McAdams and Seidenburg make over 55k a day...so does Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, etc. Seidenburg was a tech and worked his way to the top! Everyone had that opportunity but apparently didn't cut it!

Has your union come up with ways for you to increase YOUR pay? Do they have any other jobs out there that are going to pay you "what you're really worth?" How many jobs have these unions CREATED in other companies to be employed? ZERO, that's how many.

And the company isn't TAKING 20k pay out of your pocket. That's what the union WANTS you to believe. Rolling your pension into a 401k isn't taking anything from you. It's just giving you different ways to invest it.

And everyone knows that this contract isn't going to be signed without some sort of handout from the company for your pay increases too. That will offset some of the healthcare costs that you would need to pay.

If you really want any sympathy from the rest of the employees at this company and fight for "fair"...how about the union workers get NOTHING until the REST of the 135,000 employees have their health insurance paid, dependent care paid, tuition reimbursement paid (at 100%), etc.

When you've got customer service /order entry reps with no degree pulling down anywhere between $30-$40 an hour PLUS 100% of their benefits paid I think it's high time people realize just how overpaid they are!

Ahhh....now we are getting a good look at why there is so much anti union sentiment on this thread from the non union Verizon workers. They are the have nots. And they've heard the union is bad refrain for all their working careers. Because even the union people complain about the union....


Successful unions are still possible. Get together. Unite. You may be able to better your comp package with a little collective bargaining power.

Once the union is gone your packages are next. At present they have to keep you competitive to keep you non union and singing the company song.

Give them a chance - Verizon will slice through you like warm butter if they break the current union.

 

[sam_gordon]

You may be able to better your comp package with a little collective bargaining power.

Or you may be able to better your comp package by being the best at your job.

Personally, union or non-union doesn't matter where I am. NONE of my companies competitors (and there's only three) have unions. So it's not like other union shops have helped my benefits.

 

[GJM]

When you've got customer service /order entry reps with no degree pulling down anywhere between $30-$40

Is this figure accurate? Just wondering were you got this info from.

I did discontinue all my services with Verizon this week because when I called to ask a simple question about my services I was disconnected 3 times. If they keep treating customers this way there won't be any cash to pay salaries

And you were disconnected because the union worker that does that job wasn't there to handle the call the proper way and the supervisors are doing the work.

 

[dakcp2001]

Is this figure accurate? Just wondering were you got this info from.



And you were disconnected because the union worker that does that job wasn't there to handle the call the proper way and the supervisors are doing the work.

People complain when they call and get another country, but they complain when workers here want decent health insurance and pay. Can't have it both ways. Do you really think if the company outsources and pays less for labor you will see your bill go down? Really? I wouldn't hold your breath on that.

I support the Verizon workers and hope they get a fair contract. They are not asking for anything new they are only trying to keep what they already have. And as far as saying landline is a dying business, landline handles Fios. And some of the wireless workers are also covered under the contract at least in New England. I want my friends and neighbors to have decent middle class jobs and I want the jobs to stay here in our country.

I am surprised at the "if I can't have it you can't either attitude" on this thread. If you want union benefits, fight for them and get em for yourself!

 

[melmar136]

I will say I don't think that about union members. However those that DO those things give other union members a bad name.

Regarding the bolded... is the company trying to take EVERYTHING from you? I have no problem with a union protesting saying the company "wants too much". Where I have a problem is if the union doesn't counter offer (other than "status quo").

Keep in mind the walkout/strike happened during the off season. If the regular season would have been affected you would have heard people griping at both sides.

Another difference is the concessions Verizon is asking from the union sound reasonable to us "non-union" workers. Why is it wrong to have workers pay toward their health care? Why is it wrong to have raises based on merit? Why is it wrong to freeze a pension? These things have been done at other companies across the country. And it's not that others want to "bring you down" or anything like that, but I (and I'm guessing others) simply don't see how it is SO bad that union workers end up with the same benefits the rest of us get.

Again, just because other companies have done this to their workers it doesn't make it right. So, everyone should just accept whatever a company is willing to dish out?

I was talking to a tech today, who tests lines from the inside, and he was saying that a bunch of the non-union workers doing the same job in another state were fired, as their jobs were sent to the Philippines. Another woman said that she is doing work from Florida, Texas, and California because those people, although union, did not have a clause in their contract about the transferring of work.

THIS is a big part of why we are striking.

To the pp who seemed to think the techs really aren't all that skilled, try to get someone out there to fix your phone now. See how skilled the managers are. Their week of training really doesn't cut it.

 

[threecrazykids]

Ahhh....now we are getting a good look at why there is so much anti union sentiment on this thread from the non union Verizon workers. They are the have nots. And they've heard the union is bad refrain for all their working careers. Because even the union people complain about the union....


Successful unions are still possible. Get together. Unite. You may be able to better your comp package with a little collective bargaining power.

Once the union is gone your packages are next. At present they have to keep you competitive to keep you non union and singing the company song.

Give them a chance - Verizon will slice through you like warm butter if they break the current union.

I understand your point! There is HUGE tension right now between non-union and union workers. If I get cut then I get cut...it's possible in just about every job. All companies are making cuts, and if I am chosen then so be it.

However, I really have very little sympathy for someone who in essence signed up for a glorified temp job and then complains when the contract ends.

One things for sure...as a non-union worker I assure you VZ has planned for the long haul. Not only do they have this first wave of people going out to do the jobs, but there are 15k MORE being trained and hired right now to go out in September/October. My teammates are already booked for their hotel through the end of September so unless something drastic happens, they better get some spiffy new tennis shoes.

And it doesn't matter if these people can't do the jobs at the same level as these people YET. Give it a few weeks or months and let them get in a groove. Let's be honest people...how many of YOU went to your first days/weeks on the job and performed at the same level of the people who've been with the company for years? Taking pics of everything they are doing wrong? I'm pretty sure if someone followed these people during their first 4 days they made mistakes too...and they didn't have 20 people screaming, taunting, video taping etc.

Like our managers said...if falling to number 2 or 3 or even 4 in customer service for a few weeks or months it will be worth it to bust the union and get them OUT! Someone has to be number 2, 3 and 4...if VZ is there for awhile it certainly won't kill us! LOL

I don't need to pay someone to bully a company to keep my job. I can do it on my own thankyouverymuch. And if I'm cut? Then guess what...I go on the hunt for another job.

How about these people take their union dues and put it towards their healthcare? If they didn't have union dues the amount they would pay for healthcare wouldn't sting so much.

 

[threecrazykids]

Is this figure accurate? Just wondering were you got this info from.



And you were disconnected because the union worker that does that job wasn't there to handle the call the proper way and the supervisors are doing the work.

This is coming from the horse's mouth prior to the strike. I have interaction with the managers of some of these groups (not all). When asked how it was going she said "it's getting ugly...but if you were making 30-40 an hour plus benefits and went to nothing how would YOU be reacting?"

So no...I don't have any official record but this is what they claim to be giving up. I'm not sure if that's the "average wage" or not...but given the work these people do? they certainly should be performing better than they are IF they are indeed getting paid that much.

 

[dakcp2001]

I understand your point! There is HUGE tension right now between non-union and union workers. If I get cut then I get cut...it's possible in just about every job. All companies are making cuts, and if I am chosen then so be it.

However, I really have very little sympathy for someone who in essence signed up for a glorified temp job and then complains when the contract ends.

One things for sure...as a non-union worker I assure you VZ has planned for the long haul. Not only do they have this first wave of people going out to do the jobs, but there are 15k MORE being trained and hired right now to go out in September/October. My teammates are already booked for their hotel through the end of September so unless something drastic happens, they better get some spiffy new tennis shoes.

And it doesn't matter if these people can't do the jobs at the same level as these people YET. Give it a few weeks or months and let them get in a groove. Let's be honest people...how many of YOU went to your first days/weeks on the job and performed at the same level of the people who've been with the company for years? Taking pics of everything they are doing wrong? I'm pretty sure if someone followed these people during their first 4 days they made mistakes too...and they didn't have 20 people screaming, taunting, video taping etc.

Like our managers said...if falling to number 2 or 3 or even 4 in customer service for a few weeks or months it will be worth it to bust the union and get them OUT! Someone has to be number 2, 3 and 4...if VZ is there for awhile it certainly won't kill us! LOL

I don't need to pay someone to bully a company to keep my job. I can do it on my own thankyouverymuch. And if I'm cut? Then guess what...I go on the hunt for another job.

How about these people take their union dues and put it towards their healthcare? If they didn't have union dues the amount they would pay for healthcare wouldn't sting so much.

You sound like an antiunion propganda video. lol. I am guessing you have watched a fair share, you are regurgitating.

I'd much rather pay my union dues and have a say in my contract thank you. You do realize that without the workers, there won't be anyone for you "managers" to manage right? You can only ride on their shoulders so long before you too will fall. Think your job is safe? Your pay rate?

If the company can afford 300 a night for expenses plus hotels and such, they can afford to pay decent wages and benefits.