Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

CWA = Can't Win Anything

Probably because you are so special 3buf.

they screwed me

@vds Yes corporate America is a highly miserable place to be for all but those at the top. One must wonder how much worse it will get before people will wise up and once again stand up for themselves. That being said I would still rather have whatever protection little or not a labor contract with union representation provides. The board and all the higher ups work under contract, they must know something. None of them work under the pretense of "at will". I too am on the way out in the near future on my own terms and won't miss any of it other than a few coworkers. I have many management friends who have left with considerably less money than me and certainly not on their preferred timeline. The real shame is some of them chose the tie under the false promise of a better life, most were kicking themselves for years afterwards. I felt bad for a few of them but it was their choice and I did warn them beforehand.

Benefits and disadvantages to union and management.

I have witnessed unions protect bad behavior and employees who use seniority as an excuse for not working hard, as no reason to be the best when everyone gets the same raise. I have see management use favoritism for project assignments, raises and layoffs while expecting their management team to work long hours for free. I am glad I am out of there...corporate world is a disaster no matter which one you are.

All you have to do is look at what has happened to management. They have been on a downward spiral for many years. Read the posts about management. Many are not pleasant. Many management would agree they would have benefited with a union. In some ways they did. It stands to reason that as workers lose the people in a union will also lose.

@xkp. It will be up to the post 2003 people to stand up at the plate. Not long from now they will be the ones holding the ball. They will either fight or balk. Nothing comes for free. They also can call for recertification as IBEW if they wish although I see no evidence that IBEW possess any greater power than CWA. It will be in their hands soon enough. Hopefully they play hardball. I wish them the best and will gladly support them in their struggle.

It’s a shame that the CWA is the major Union at Verizon and not IBEW. Guarantee we wouldn’t have this caste system of pre and post-2003ers if all our locals were IBEW. Verizon’s associates only need to look at the AT&T Layoff board to see what the future with continued CWA representation looks like.

I can't complain in the least about my representation. In my near 30 years of employment I have had top notch medical coverage at little cost (the first twenty odd years at zero out of pocket), a modest pension balance (high six figures), a very well funded 401k plan (low seven figures), a fully paid for bachelor degree earned at night. as well as a related associate degree earned on the clock. The bargained for work rules, wages and additional benefits have enabled me to amass a considerable sum in personal savings pay my home in full and fund the education of my two children in a debt free fashion. I have been able to do this by age 51 and just wait a little for push to leave for an early retirement an EISP or such (no need to leave without a little extra kick that would be stupid unless I was over 60). I claim no special abilities anyone with a bit of a work ethic and the right representation can accomplish the same or more if they wish. That being said yes I have encountered many a fool, d---beat or lowlife during my career and yes some where union members but just as many where members of management. There is a cost to membership but it is a pittance compared to the advantages. People may go on about the cost of a strike but even that is a fool's argument. Out of near thirty years of working we have been paid for over 1500 weeks and been on strike for less than 12 weeks total and even during those have gotten strike pay and much overtime on our return (I made more the year of the last strike than the subsequent year). The consistent layoff proof employment at a lucrative pay point that representation brings is a real wealth builder. I haven't made under six figures since the nineties. Unless you are a real "Superstar" (aren't we all?) I see being a union member as a big plus. Trolls can bad mouth all they wish. Their behavior at best comes out of envy and delusions of superiority or righteousness like the right to work myth, at worst they are corporate operatives trying to blind the ignorant to keep them unrepresented. Live well, live better, organize or be the "superstar" you know you are. A coworker of mine rents to them.

If the union weren't beneficial to the workers then why would the company want so desperately to get rid of it? Employee pay if a zero sum game, is not like the company is going to just hand over more money and better treatment because they suddenly don't care about controlling their biggest expense.

There is a benefit having CWA. The bargaining has taken away from the rank and file with less time therefor weakening the union with some of its members. It is a company process, you can see it with how membership has gone down.

Let me start off by saying I have many family members that are/were Verizon management so this is not gloating, just stating facts. The union has kept my pension/job security intact for 30 years while management has been getting BLANKED left and right since about 2006. IS the union perfect? Far from it BUT I'll take it over not having any voice in what these multi billion dollar corporations do to their employees.

The Union is a double edged sword that sometimes turns on its own army.

Without the Union we would still have sweat shops and no recourse against the mental midget managers that thrive on flexing their egos and generally being difficult. Those same mental midget managers are the reason the Union continues to operate and thrive. As it is, the company is mired, from the Board down, with this attitude of antagonism. Mental midgets with inflated egos.

On the other hand, we have a lot of useless humans on this planet that will milk and take advantage of everything they can. Won't show up on time, won't get the job done, etc. Protecting these individuals is where the Union fails.

What drives a lot of problems ( aside from mental midget management ) is the vaunted "needs of the business" mantra. Management before they ever utter that phrase again should remind themselves of the debt from Vodafone, AOL, Yahoo and my all time favorite, the arrangement with Mozilla. This mantra of theirs is what often drives a lot of angst between management and craft.

Double edge sword and until humans act like decent, caring humans there will always be a Union.

I hope you enjoy your salary, your paid vacation and your benefits. Compared to other companies VZ is well off. If you have under 25yrs I personally was on strike several times for those benefits you have today. If you don’t like it leave...

As far as the company “chasing the union away”, Wireless has its own page. All the call Business Offices in Core are Union 😉

@fvx

Sounds like another entitled millennial. Aren’t you supposed to be over on the wireless side? You have no respect for seniority. Maybe you should not have any of the perks that come with working here for decades. When you get 30 years, maybe they should let someone with five years choose their first two vacation weeks ahead of you.

At our garage, non-existent is an accurate description. But they do help those with over 30 years get off weekend tours so the younger folk have to work more of them lol...That's pretty much it.

I wouldn't know because verizon chased the union away at our call center. I hate working here so much.