Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

AT&T Fiber to the home expansion in 90 metro areas.

ArsTechnica.com has an article about three million more homes will have access to fiber by end of year. The company has already hired contractors, temporary linemen (OPT) and temporary fiber splicers (FT) in the SE for this new project. Thankful for the upcoming work during these uncertain times. The company should be using professional union employees already on payroll. The company received a 45 billion dollar tax break and the company said more permanent hard hat jobs would be the result. Hasn’t happened, instead their has been a huge reduction through layoffs and attrition.

IMO, the Union technician jobs should be permanent because this fiber project is expected to last from 4-10 years per other statements by company officials in press and financial meeting releases. The Union officials are shafting their longtime membership by agreeing to this, years of work isn’t temporary and senior techs aren’t able to preference over the temps for these jobs. The only way is to bid or place application for a temp position and then when this project is over you are off payroll.

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Post ID: @OP+19RTI8LQ

26 replies (most recent on top)

I’m ready for fiber. Get with it AT&T, I need something reliable, fast and reasonably priced. Satellites and wireless aren’t reliable or secure enough for me and my business.

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Post ID: @4oku+19RTI8LQ

fiber overlay is hot,c-appy work,i did it, the more strong backs the better,its blood money.that being said I made a ton and took the buyout 2020.life in retirement is as sweet as honey,its worth the slog.keep the faith brothers.

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Post ID: @3xfw+19RTI8LQ

Core FT, ST, DT will be installing residential fiber service, FST can be over 4 spans from customer aerial and buried to save money. Contractors will do the fiber build out due to little Customer interaction. Less techs, everyone will do 2 installs a day,

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Post ID: @3jaf+19RTI8LQ

there have been a ton of fiber work job postings of late

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Post ID: @2ycu+19RTI8LQ

Same story, different day

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Post ID: @2mjp+19RTI8LQ

AT&T can't offer month to month contracts because they laid off all of their developers. There isn't anyone left to make the software changes that that reflect contract changes.

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Post ID: @1cks+19RTI8LQ

OP what you say is true, the company has had constant layoffs as brought out in the ARS Technical article. The company is also using a lot of temps and contractors. The benefits, large salaries, bonuses, dividends, raises, stock options etc., are only for the C Suite and above. Lords vs the serfs.

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Post ID: @1ugr+19RTI8LQ

Sure you can pass a test to be hired or transfer to a technician job. After the poor company class training and even less OJT you are expected to perform. Ask the thousands of Wire/Premise tech no longer employed and were escorted out. The attrition rate used to be around 60% or hirer of new hires after 3 to 6 months.

All the other more skilled title opening are filled by transfers or surpluses from other orgs. The company hasn’t replaced any of those position now for years. There are less and less skilled techs and those left are expected to pick up the slack thru micromanaging and constant harassment.

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Post ID: @1czz+19RTI8LQ

You are a funny person, “I can teach someone in less than a day how to do my technician job”. You must be a sanitation tech. Come work in air pressure, paper cable, large pic cables, load coils, stubs, repeaters in the manholes with us finding and repairing damages, oh great one. Sounds like another company troll. The only new technology we use vs old in our tool bag is a digital meter vs an analog and I can read and use an analog 310 or throwmaster meter much faster. Same with the other 32 titles a lot of things to still know and learn until the cooper network is retired.

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Post ID: @1vny+19RTI8LQ

The union shaft craft??? That’s been going on for a long time!

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Post ID: @1uze+19RTI8LQ

Also, it’s a “layoff” board BTW.

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Post ID: @1yhm+19RTI8LQ

Since this thread seems to be Southeast related, when referring to “top craft”, are you meaning all 32 wage scale jobs?? FT, DT, ET, Systems Tech, etc.?? The last time I checked, years of training and experience (or skill for that matter) were not needed to attain or retain these positions. Pass the TMTlll test and you are qualified for FT and passing the TKTll qualifies you for the others. Seniority becomes the only roadblock at that point. Training, experience and actual skill having nothing to do with it. Just stating the facts. Contact any local CWA president in the SE and you will be told the same.

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Post ID: @1mbc+19RTI8LQ

It stinks for all of the perm OPT’s and FT’s(myself included) that were let go in 2019 and 2020 in when the company was surplussing them. Now they are just being replaces with temp/term techs who will be here 2-4 years before being let go when the project is finally over.

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Post ID: @qaw+19RTI8LQ

Seriously, are you kidding me! I can teach someone in less than a day how to do my technician job...it’s not that difficult! It used to be, but with all the technology available, there’s nothing to this job! Most technicians will either be laid off over time and I’m betting in the next 5-7 years, the number of techs will be drastically reduced. Their need will diminish immensely and the need for high paid personnel will fall by the wayside! New hires should be aware of this that their job will not be here forever!

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Post ID: @brf+19RTI8LQ

Err on previous post, should have read years of training vs trading, spell correction.

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Post ID: @xgf+19RTI8LQ

Said someone that has never been a technician, it takes years of trading and experience for top craft positions

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Post ID: @tgx+19RTI8LQ

HaHa...You used the words “professional” and “union” in the same sentence. Funny.

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Post ID: @ugg+19RTI8LQ

I also see in the article they exposed how the company has let the old copper network to deteriorate and not maintain.

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Post ID: @zsu+19RTI8LQ

I just need 8-10 more yrs then I’m out of this woke NWO cesspool and they can “Take this job and shove it” Used to be a great company to work for and They/I cared but now I show up for paycheck and run them out of $$$. They no longer care and neither do I, show me the money!

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Post ID: @ump+19RTI8LQ

I see this as a test to see if the new administration is for Labor, this needs to be addressed immediately! There have already been layoffs right away in another union industry after they took office. We are being flooded for good paying union jobs and layoffs will ensue. How does that help the country or labor? Your job could be next, companies are already offshoring and rebadging like crazy.

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Post ID: @zfk+19RTI8LQ

I thought the SE has article 14 in the CWA contract that union employees are to be only ones doing any tele/fiber wire/splicing work, including placing cables.

If it is a long project then temps shouldn’t be used because the company always follows up one project with another. They just finished up a fiber project not long ago, using this scheme allows the company to not create permanent jobs going forward. It creates temp semipermanent jobs without the benefits or better wages thus less taxes.

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Post ID: @ohf+19RTI8LQ

Most of the project labor contractors that are digging pits to bury the fiber are using illegal labor. Usually only one or two running the crews can speak english. Another way to stick it to the tax paying legal workers and pay poverty level wages.

Industries all over are doing same. Industries used to get work permits for migrants then they would return to their home countries when work was complete. There is no way the US can sustain a permanent influx of the worlds poor without making this great country into a shell of itself. Help them where they are, Americans are more charitable than in country in the world but the golden goose is being k–led by NWO elites.

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Post ID: @ane+19RTI8LQ

True that

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Post ID: @bqy+19RTI8LQ

It appears to be a bad faith continuous bargaining agreement or MOA by the CWA Union. I believe that the temporary job assignments are for only 18 months to 2 years. If longer there is supposed to be permanent job openings. The company and union both know this project will last longer than 2 years. It’s the NWO way to make gig employment instead of using professional trained techs with a signed contractual agreement..

The union allows the company to play a shell game of moving these temp employees around to different locations or states doing the same work instead of permanent union employees for years. The other game is to release them and tell them to reapply at a different location, it’s a way to try and beat the signed agreement for permanent positions. Someone needs to file a grievance or file a complaint with the Department of Labor for breaking contract. AT&T gets a lot of government contracts and tax breaks so they should be providing permanent jobs with benefits instead of using gig temp labor.

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Post ID: @ngs+19RTI8LQ

in metro areas is the key. they aren't expanding the cheapest possible way - how about serving rural america like their competitors are doing. nope won't happen because they can't make 200000% profit from it so they can keep paying the board and the dividend.

had someone move to my neighborhood and they got att and have had trouble ever since and they will not be renewing anything when that draconian contract ends. why is it all the competitors do a month to month contract but not att. captive customers if it wasn't for them att would be out of business.

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Post ID: @ysc+19RTI8LQ

S—s for all of the OPT’s that were surplused in 2019 and 2020 (including myself). They got rid of about half of us only to replace us with temp/term OPT’s that will be gone in 2-4 years when this project is over.

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Post ID: @ths+19RTI8LQ

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