Verizon striking

[JVelasquez]

In your opinion what do they deserve?

And do you really believe this is entirely verizon's fault and the union is blameless?

They deserve to not have jobs sent overseas. American people need jobs and sending them to other countries is not right!!!

I think the union is standing up for what they believe and is willing to compromise with Verizon.

 

[sam_gordon]

They deserve to not have jobs sent overseas. American people need jobs and sending them to other countries is not right!!!

I agree with you 100%! Unfortunately that's not the only item on the table. I remember you have a family member that's going through the strike. Would they be willing to accept paying a portion of the health care costs if it meant they get to keep their jobs? THAT'S how compromise is made.

I think the union is standing up for what they believe and is willing to compromise with Verizon.

I agree with the first part and hope what I bolded is true. I don't think Verizon should get all their demands, just like I don't think the union should get all their demands. However, many have posted on this thread that "we just want what we've always had".

 

[Rafiki31]

Comcast is union too. So that tells me that it is the company that is poor/good and has NOTHING to do with the fact the employees are unionized.

Not here they are not. You might want to do a bit of fact checking. Comcast workers are not union.

Why are you attacking everyone? Got a dog in the fight?

 

[lisaross]

Thank you for clarifying your statement. Unfortunately, we are at a time when employers hold even more power than usual. Yes, employers can offer anything down to minimum wage and the employee has to choose whether to accept that wage for the job or not. The employee is free to turn the rate (and job) down and try to find employment somewhere else. If enough "good" workers turn down the job the employer will be forced to either increase pay or benefits.

I'd like to know how anyone thinks companies can be FORCED to pay a certain amount (other than minimum wage) or provide certain benefits.

How ironic. Thank you for stating exactly what the union is saying and doing. The union is giving a single voice for the 45000 workers together. This 45000 strong voice is telling Verizon that they are offering wages to low and insufficient benefits. Can we tell Verizon what to do? Of course not. We’re not stupid. We can, however fight for what we want. No one wants to give up what they have. It’s easy for people who are not on the chopping block to say that we are thugs, and that we should just take what Verizon gives or quit. They’re not in the situation.

 

[wvjules]

Not here they are not. You might want to do a bit of fact checking. Comcast workers are not union.

Why are you attacking everyone? Got a dog in the fight?

Please show me where I attacked anyone? I have no dog in this fight. I am just engaging in a debate like everyone else here.

Comcast has some union and some non-union, just like Verizon. I don't know how that is distributed though. I could be wrong on that though too.

 

[wvjules]

They deserve to not have jobs sent overseas. American people need jobs and sending them to other countries is not right!!!

I think the union is standing up for what they believe and is willing to compromise with Verizon.

So verizon wants their onsite technicians to be based in India or something? That'd be one heck of a commute for a service call.

 

[dakcp2001]

unsubscribing, far too much hate spewing on this thread. The hate and nastiness is a not helping anyone back up either side of the argument. No one is ever going to change someone's mind on this topic, really people.

 

[undertheradar]

How ironic. Thank you for stating exactly what the union is saying and doing. The union is giving a single voice for the 45000 workers together. This 45000 strong voice is telling Verizon that they are offering wages to low and insufficient benefits. Can we tell Verizon what to do? Of course not. We’re not stupid. We can, however fight for what we want. No one wants to give up what they have. It’s easy for people who are not on the chopping block to say that we are thugs, and that we should just take what Verizon gives or quit. They’re not in the situation.

Now that would be the case if Verizon offered those jobs to others and they passed due to the wages/benefits, just as the union is advising the rank and file. That isn't the case. The two unions are striking to keep things as they have always been. I haven't seen anyone say that the striking workers are thugs .

 

[threecrazykids]

Are you kidding? With the billion dollar budget that Vz has sunk into their advertising campaign, of course people want their service. It doesn't take the rent a wreck sales team to say ok. It takes the skilled workers to actually install the jobs. And to be perfectly clear, THERE ARE NO INSTALLATIONS BEING DONE DURING THE STRIKE, only repairs.
The letters praising the managers stepping up will be few and far between, because only a small percentage of the managers used to be techs and know the job. The rest of them could try all they want. I remember how useless new employees could be. The old joke was I can't wait for the newbie to come into my area because of the damage that he'll do to make overtime for the rest of us.
Residence has virtually no chance of getting in, because as Vz always handles it, business’s always gets priority. As for the 83 year old grandma, sorry.
When I had my own business, I found that a simple compliment went a long way to inspire people. Even if they weren’t that good, a compliment always helped. A simple little white lie like saying “you’re hitting it out of the park, or wow maybe you should move here and do this full time,” sounds like the stuff that I used to tell my guys. It gave them bragging rights. But I’m quite sure that your friend from Krypton is in all actuality so much better than all the experienced workers.
As for the service calls being backed up because union workers are clogging the lines, I don’t know where to begin. They have been backed up for several months. Time after time service techs get yelled at the second we walk through the door. “Where have you been? It’s been weeks!” All we could do was apologize. But, you in your infinite wisdom are completely accurate. There would be no back up right now at all if the “union workers” wouldn’t clog up the lines. For that matter neither I nor any of my friends wants to contact Vz for any reason right now that includes claiming false repair or installation reports.
One thing that I can tell you though is that when techs or other Vz workers have problems on their lines, they fix it for themselves or for each other as a courtesy. Why would we do that now? If I had a problem with my own line while working, I would take care of it. If I have a problem now, you bet your bottom dollar that I’m going to call it in. First of all I am paying for quality service. And second of all, as of now, I don’t work for them.
If you choose to insult us, please continue on the path you’re taking.

Not that you really care one way or another on my opinion...but YOU are a different story as a skilled installer. You have a skill that no Joe Blow off the street can learn in a matter of days...or weeks for that matter. To be perfectly honest, I don't think the IBEW should be playing tag team with the CWA...I wholeheartedly believe the CWA is what is holding this contract up. Skilled worker demands for a non-skilled job.

What I bolded above...that was my point on my prior post. The date of repair or hold times aren't changing whether these are replacement workers taking these calls or if it's union members and you just confirmed it. I believe the IBEW is a smaller percentage of the total 45k workers that walked out of their jobs. And I'm sorry to be blatant about it...but it doesn't take a whole lot of "skill" to be a customer service rep, dispatcher, or some of these other jobs that my co-workers are replacing.

 

[threecrazykids]

So verizon wants their onsite technicians to be based in India or something? That'd be one heck of a commute for a service call.

You got to this before I did... I was going to say the same thing.

 

[lisaross]

So verizon wants their onsite technicians to be based in India or something? That'd be one heck of a commute for a service call.

The attack is with your sarcastic idiocy!

 

[undertheradar]

We have been able to have 37 pages of conversation here, do we need to be name calling and throwing insults at each other? It would be nice to be able to keep this thread open, something several posters appear to be intent to get closed.

 

[wvjules]

The attack is with your sarcastic idiocy!

In my defense, that was my first post of that sort (on this thread).

Asking questions and engaging in debate with someone that disagrees with you is not an attack. If anyone feels personally attacked, then please use the report button and report the offending post.

 

[JVelasquez]

So verizon wants their onsite technicians to be based in India or something? That'd be one heck of a commute for a service call.

Come now we know that there other positions that can be done from other countries... Let's not play stupid.

 

[lisaross]

Not that you really care one way or another on my opinion...but YOU are a different story as a skilled installer. You have a skill that no Joe Blow off the street can learn in a matter of days...or weeks for that matter. To be perfectly honest, I don't think the IBEW should be playing tag team with the CWA...I wholeheartedly believe the CWA is what is holding this contract up. Skilled worker demands for a non-skilled job.

What I bolded above...that was my point on my prior post. The date of repair or hold times aren't changing whether these are replacement workers taking these calls or if it's union members and you just confirmed it. I believe the IBEW is a smaller percentage of the total 45k workers that walked out of their jobs. And I'm sorry to be blatant about it...but it doesn't take a whole lot of "skill" to be a customer service rep, dispatcher, or some of these other jobs that my co-workers are replacing.

Not always, you're right. Although it does take training and experience which the whole of Verzion union workers all have 11 years and above. But it does speak volumes about the personality of a person who would knowingly take the job of someone else. If it were me, I would assume that the person who's job I was taking probably has a family, and I just screwed them all.

I do appreciate your respect for my experience, knowlege and skill though. Do you think that if someone does step in and take my job that I, with a BS in Business and Telecom and am certified in computer and network repair, on top of 19 years of telecom experience can find a job equal to this one? Unfortunately the answer is no. I've looked. Sometimes it is necessary to fight for what you have.

 

[sam_gordon]

How ironic. Thank you for stating exactly what the union is saying and doing. The union is giving a single voice for the 45000 workers together. This 45000 strong voice is telling Verizon that they are offering wages to low and insufficient benefits. Can we tell Verizon what to do? Of course not. We’re not stupid. We can, however fight for what we want. No one wants to give up what they have. It’s easy for people who are not on the chopping block to say that we are thugs, and that we should just take what Verizon gives or quit. They’re not in the situation.

The problem is whether VZ can find other workers to do the job. Just because 45K people don't want to do the job for the lessor pay/benefits doesn't mean VZ will have problems filling the positions.

 

[lisaross]

Not that you really care one way or another on my opinion...but YOU are a different story as a skilled installer. You have a skill that no Joe Blow off the street can learn in a matter of days...or weeks for that matter. To be perfectly honest, I don't think the IBEW should be playing tag team with the CWA...I wholeheartedly believe the CWA is what is holding this contract up. Skilled worker demands for a non-skilled job.

What I bolded above...that was my point on my prior post. The date of repair or hold times aren't changing whether these are replacement workers taking these calls or if it's union members and you just confirmed it. I believe the IBEW is a smaller percentage of the total 45k workers that walked out of their jobs. And I'm sorry to be blatant about it...but it doesn't take a whole lot of "skill" to be a customer service rep, dispatcher, or some of these other jobs that my co-workers are replacing.

That is intentional. Verizon is notorious for its scrubbing program. The program simply wipes out service orders. It looks like they never came in. When the work is backed up and Verizon tells us that there is no overtime somehow all the jobs vanish. The people don’t get service until they call again and reappoint. Are you naïve enough to believe that the company didn’t get creative enough to make us look bad? Come on, use some common sense.
A lot of clerical jobs may seem like they require no skill, but experience is worth more than skill. And these workers have both. Please don’t insult their experience by telling them this is something that anyone off the street can walk in and do. It isn’t.

 

[melmar136]

I agree with you 100%! Unfortunately that's not the only item on the table. I remember you have a family member that's going through the strike. Would they be willing to accept paying a portion of the health care costs if it meant they get to keep their jobs? THAT'S how compromise is made.
I agree with the first part and hope what I bolded is true. I don't think Verizon should get all their demands, just like I don't think the union should get all their demands. However, many have posted on this thread that "we just want what we've always had".

Job security/no transfer is a HUGE issue on the table.

And yes, we would be willing to pay a portion of health care costs for a decent plan. The union has already stated that. A decent plan wasn't offered for a reasonable amount of money.

I believe neither side should get EVERYTHING they want. Bargaining is all about give and take.

 

[wvjules]

That is intentional. Verizon is notorious for its scrubbing program. The program simply wipes out service orders. It looks like they never came in. When the work is backed up and Verizon tells us that there is no overtime somehow all the jobs vanish. The people don’t get service until they call again and reappoint. Are you naïve enough to believe that the company didn’t get creative enough to make us look bad? Come on, use some common sense.
A lot of clerical jobs may seem like they require no skill, but experience is worth more than skill. And these workers have both. Please don’t insult their experience by telling them this is something that anyone off the street can walk in and do. It isn’t.

Why is that insulting? It is true. When I was unemployed I worked for Comcast temporarily. I think training was 3 days. (There was union there then.) I worked the phones, set up installs and trouble calls, troubleshot modem and internet issues, worked the front counter, etc. Everything except working out in the field doing repairs and installs. Being a CSR didn't require much skill. I came in off the street and did it.

 

[threecrazykids]

Not always, you're right. Although it does take training and experience which the whole of Verzion union workers all have 11 years and above. But it does speak volumes about the personality of a person who would knowingly take the job of someone else. If it were me, I would assume that the person who's job I was taking probably has a family, and I just screwed them all.

I do appreciate your respect for my experience, knowlege and skill though. Do you think that if someone does step in and take my job that I, with a BS in Business and Telecom and am certified in computer and network repair, on top of 19 years of telecom experience can find a job equal to this one? Unfortunately the answer is no. I've looked. Sometimes it is necessary to fight for what you have.

I think we agree on aspects of this strike! Those who are skilled, in demand, experienced, and difficult to replace have much more bargaining power then those who are trying to reap the skilled workers benefits all while doing a job that does not require an excessive amount of knowledge and training.

All I ask is that you at least have an "understanding" that SOME of these workers (meaning the people who HAVE full time jobs at VZ...not contracted out or hired by temp agencies) would have given up their job within VZ if they refused to go on this temp assignment. They don't WANT your job, they have a job...it's not like my co-workers gain anything by going. By NOT going, they were going to be terminated immediately. Sure, they MAY lose their job down the road but if they were fired, they wouldn't be eligible for some of the programs the striking workers are able to get.

And asking one of my co-workers to not take a job and give up their income in the hope that Verizon would give the union everything they want simply isn't reality. Whether VZ sent existing workers, or they hired outside the company they were going to bring someone in to do the work.

I don't ask that you have "sympathy" for these people...or to coddle them etc. Please just understand that, yes, they may have had a choice in the matter...but that choice was to be fired, or not. Provide for their family, or not.