Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

better companies laying fiber in rural areas nobody wants to work for cesspool att.

[Fiber splicing isn't like it was 25 years ago. With the new fusion machines you can train a monkey to do it.]
So fiber splicing is just pressing a button? What about placing the cable, and racking it? What about all the inexperienced id..ts that butcher the fiber in the trays and don't even know how transport it from the bottom bracket? Also AT&T thinks you're fully trained in two months so any mistakes is on them but they'll blame you.

Fiber splicing isn't like it was 25 years ago. With the new fusion machines you can train a monkey to do it.

@4ogy+1qg91lOv

Undereducated, marginally skilled union toad

“ Yes we all know spectrum is perfect (customer no service, billing issues) and all their contractors are the best at placing one coax cable, now go peddle your nonsense on the correct thread.”

Back to your moms basement douche

Yes we all know spectrum is perfect (customer no service, billing issues) and all their contractors are the best at placing one coax cable, now go peddle your nonsense on the correct thread.

I just had Spectrum internet installed, had an authorized contractor do the work. The experience was no different than if a Spectrum badged employee did it . No union issues ..blah blah blah. Spectrum stock is trading at $340….T is trading at $17. This tells you everything you need to know about the future of union jobs at T.

As the article states, there will be a large shortage of fiber workers, many growth opportunities for installation and other positions in the future. Once the network is built then, there won’t be a need for a large maintenance workforce, like the copper network but will still require a sizable work force. The current workforce is aging and the industry is behind on training and hiring replacements.

It will take decades to totally build out the fiber network nation wide. AT&T only has about 30% coverage so, capex, materials, regulations, subs and terrain are all major factors on the build. There is a big take by customers when fiber is available and ROI will be very good once built because the need for symmetrical, lower latency, and more capacity broadband will only grow.

1qwu+1qg91lOv
The old “climb a pole or repair a 1800 pair pulp” response. We have all seen how wireless and in most places, fiber, gut the workload. There will always be a need for people in the foreseeable future but those numbers will continue to go down with technology. My son lives in a fiber apartment complex and a field mgr for that complex admitted there were issues with some of the initial turn up. However now he sees very little work there unless a fiber gets cut due to some type of construction.

The fiber I need is in my diet. Old guys need as much help as possible for number 2.

@1wfp+1qg91lOv

There is an article in the contract addressing the Term situation, if the company violates it then, it is up to the members to file a grievance. It may be your job that you protect so I would be proactive on it. If the article is too lenient then send your bargaining team the suggestion form about what changes you would like to see. They are supposed to be bargaining in good faith for the members.

They have tried using contractors on several occasions in the SE both in wireline and wireless to do union work. Group Grievances were filed and company had to cease and desist because they were in violation of the contract. Sometimes all it takes is a call or meeting with the company from your local president or district office to get it sorted out.

I see a lot of union members from out west complaining but I have never seen one post that they have filed a grievance. You are protected from any retaliation, so it never hurts to file for clarification and see what needs to be addressed in your next contract. No union officer can stop you from filing, only the lazy ones will tell you not to file. It’s your right and you pay dues for representation so, use it when necessary. They have a fiduciary responsibility to do something once you file, if not take it up the chain to your state union rep at the district level. Not to be confrontational but I’ve proven my local president’s contract interpretation wrong on more than one occasion.

in response to
"The union contract only allows a small % of term employees, so the term work model will fail going forward. The company will need to hire and train many fiber splicers and maintenance/installers for the future."
In Northern California, I've been on entire crews of TERM employees, and whenever the term or project ends, an entire yard (e.g. Fremont, San Jose Berryessa, San Jose Doyle, San Jose Montgomery, Santa Clara Martin, Santa Clara Raymond, South San Franicisco) would shut down the construction or term splicing section.
Also had TERM employees as part of a BAU team at West Sacramento, Santa Clara Coleman, San Francisco, Modesto, etc.--in those cases, yes the term employees were a small percentage of the BAU team with mostly long time permanent staff.

Would be nice to see a robot climb a pole and repair a damage or do an install, then I can retire. Probably not my lifetime but if the world continues to exist then eventually there won’t be much need for manual labor by humans, it will like the Jetson’s. The issue then will be, not letting artificial intelligence take over like in the Terminator movie. Skynet, here we come.

The robots are coming. Who needs humans when you have "Sophia" the robot that was made by humans to take over human jobs. Besides, one third of USA population can't read or write. And 54% of adults in USA have a literacy below sixth-grade level. Americans were getting d-mber and d-mber each day even before the robots and now that pace will increase drastically as robots do the job faster and better then humans. This is the reality of the future. And when a country with high unemployment is also a country with high levels of crime. So instead of playing video games, learn to read, write, and study math and science.

From what I’ve seen, the government funding $$ for broadband expansion is going to bid, & T isn’t getting any of it(excluding the pi$$ ant regulatory fees that are part of our customers’ monthly bills. Also, the contractors that are winning this bid $ don’t pay their workers near what T does, this doesn’t bode well for the U beating their chest and demanding more come contract time. The competition is kicking our @ss in fiber implementation & operating costs.

Not new but the market has spoken and the future for most, is mainly fiber. The question is, will AT&T skate to the puck like they have for the last decade plus or will they stay focused and continue to invest heavily in the pipes, equipment and wireless. There is more competition now than ever, so hopefully leadership will lead this time and not follow, since they are already a decade behind. Plenty of room for growth with only about 30% in the AT&T area’s covered. T needs to work in partnership with the governments to fill the needs of business, medical, education, entertainment and future tech.

Currently fiber is the best transport system at scale to have the capacity to meet the future symmetrical speeds, latency and reliability that everyone is wanting. Fiber is a dedicated system unlike coax that is shared (party line) and results can vary depending on usage of customers.

Not sure why we would need a huge hiring binge. Unless the government puts up a lot of money to extend fiber the plans I have read about calls for a pretty sizable decrease in the capital budget in 25. Plus with fiber needing much fewer dispatches than copper it seems they could move some of the existing core techs to that realm. No idea of the workload these days but remember when and where fiber was being placed a lot of days the techs were running out of work early.

No problem, contractors are trained and deploying.

Don’t worry. The contract firms are ramping up for it.

As a former union lineman and now L2 manager I hope this comes true and you guys get a good contract that rewards the work you do. Having said that I worry that they will go to contractors like the former at&t did in many cases. The union doesn’t seem to have a lot of leverage like before so let’s hope they get pressure applied at the government level. Good luck to you all I wish you the best.

The union contract only allows a small % of term employees, so the term work model will fail going forward. The company will need to hire and train many fiber splicers and maintenance/installers for the future. The majority of core hires happened in 1998-2000 and most of those hires were in their late 20’s to 40’s so a huge percentage are modified rule of 75 retirement eligible. Most techs have or will have 25 years service soon and are getting close to leaving/retiring but if competition starts offering better compensation packages, the Modified rule of 75 techs have incentive to leave earlier. I know I (FT splicer w/25 yrs.) and a lot of my co-workers would leave this toxic workplace if the opportunity arises.

Bell used to hire in what they called the twin towers, majority of employees were hired within a couple of years of each other. After about 27-28 yrs. the next generation of employees were hired, trained in class and on the job over the next few years by the experienced techs for succession. Senior techs started retiring not long after getting 30 to 35 years and the process started all over again.

They need more standardization which has started being implemented over last few years, and more real training at the technician and first line manager levels on fiber, not more peer to peer training.

Since around 2012, AT&T doesn't even hire permanent fiber splicers or outside plant construction techs. They are up to 3 year term employees. When older employees retire, they may transfer a long time prem tech to outside plant construction permanent position; but this is very infrequent. Most of these TERM employees gain skills then go work long term at a telecom contractor. Easier for T to just cycle through TERM staff as fiber growth continues.

Previous post has incorrect article link, try this link instead

https://www.fiercetelecom.com/sponsored/firing-fiber-home-delivering-high-capacity-broadband-services-using-xgs-pon

Another detailed article on the need for high capacity broadband service and the upgrades to follow on existing fiber networks.

https://www.fiercetelecom.com/telecom/ting-ceo-subscriber-growth-more-fiber-partnerships-ahead?itm_source=parsely-api

The fierce telecom article addresses the need to have standardized training to address shoddy workmanship and workarounds. I agree with this because I’ve experienced this myself with the company using unskilled contractors to install fiber in my yard. What a mess and the cheap plastic handhole lids break easily, causing liability issue with safety. I nearly broke my ankle stepping on one while cutting my grass and the lid broke. The handhole isn’t flush with the ground and my lawn is uneven now from the installation. I’ve tried contacting customer, hard to understand, no service but haven’t been successful getting any resolution.

AT&T doesn’t look that far down the road. If you doesn’t benefit your manager in the next 5 minutes it is no considered.

The Union has a very good case for better compensation and retirement benefits in the upcoming negotiations. There is a need for skilled employees to continue the build and maintain the fiber network. It also has a huge impact on wireless, because its infrastructure is mostly fiber fed.

Nah. They'll just keep wages low and offer up lucrative sign on bonuses. Then continue to lose employees to competitors after they put their required time in. It's a losing strategy so why change things?