I’m a 10 year splicer. Our garage has an open LM spot. I’m considering it. What is the typical raise? How much would you say our union pension is worth each month that I’d be giving up. Is it worth the enhanced 401k. I’m already over 6 figures. I’d consider a base salary around 125-135k. Is this realistic in the Boston area. Lmk your thoughts. Our local managers typically only come into the garages 1-2 days a week tops pre pandemic, now hardly ever. ??
11 replies (most recent on top)
As long as you are not going to the Malvern garage. That’s where mgt careers end.
20 years ago it was a good move. Back then management still had pension and good benefits. Today is a whole other story. This is why the culture is what it is at Verizon. Hans wants to talk a big game about doing nice things and citizen verizon yadda yadda yadda but he will never ever fix it. Hi strategy should be maintaining the network he has inherited and being happy with the small dividends that the share holders will receive. He will never! and I repeat NEVER make VZ a high tech company. So stop wasting all this money on these HIGH TECH executives and bring it back to the roots! Loose all that dead weight at the top! AXE THEM ALL! Start treating Management and Union as equals again. Give the unions more work to do and stop trying to find ways to keep them out of it. You will NOT EVER break that union. You would have to sacrifice the infrastructure being burnt to the ground before they give it away. And the government will not allow that. So start thinking of how your going to improve this culture.
Sounds like this employee wants to move up the ranks but he or she's hesitant because the culture is out of wack. Could you imagine a company that doesn't promote or encourage their own employees to grow? GET WITH IT VZ!!
And to your question is your making over 100k as craft God Bless You!! I know linemen that are also making 120k-140k a year. So if a LM position is available the company should be willing to pay 125-140k no problem
Pretty likely you will get hit with more than one bad medical expense. I told you to stop eating those doughnuts. Now you gots diabeetus.
When Lowell took my pension away the Steward told me, "I told you so"...I was able to make second level and was one for 15 years before leaving. 401K money I am fine until one bad medical expense hits me or family. If you see management look for a company that is not just recycling other companies ideas.
Going into management is a great idea.
If you worked for a company that didn’t eat it’s managers.
Verizon eats it’s managers. This is not the place.
Out of the dozen or so craft that took management Ive known over the years, 1 remains, still 1st level, the rest are long gone, because Verizon eats their managers. With Verizon, any move should be treated as highly suspect.
So, the question comes to one single point. Job security. That’s your whole focus.
Pension is not the issue... if you load up your 401k to the max every year whether you have a pension as craft or none as management can be a wash, as you should have 1 or 2 mil in the 401k either way. The real issue is whether or not you want your Medical Retiree Beni's paid BY the company or TO the company. When you retire as management, they put you in a separate retirement pool.(basically high risk). If you have to pay the full load (and you will), you could be looking at $15k+single, to $30k+married for a half decent plan. The Union guys with 30+ yrs, continue to get a nice medical package... they still b–ch about it not being as good at 30yrs ago... but compared to paying the full price, its good deal & something to keep in mind.
As to what you think you are going to get... If you are going from craft to 1st line supervisor/manager (7) you will not be offered anywhere close to 125-135k. (lol)
So the point is moot. Even twenty years ago the rank & file would congratulate co-workers that went to management as a supervisor with comments like...
Congrats on being Boss,,, gonna cost you $50k in OT, but Atta'Boy. haha
Once upon a time management had a better pension & med beni's... but not the last 20yrs.
And to another comment on here about not supervising in the same garage... since when? I know that has been a limp goal over the years, but seldom applied. When I was outside, every single one of the 1st line supervisors was promoted from within the same garage. They just didn't put them in the same group. Promote a linemen to be in charge of splicers, a splicer in charge or linemen... or service techs managing system techs. Different group, but same garage. Now the 2nd level managers(6), usually went to a different garage. But that was usually because that's where they found an opening.
You can’t be a local manager at a location where craft worked with you.
For every 10 people who took that job I would say only 2 made it. The others were riffed or managed to retreat back to the craft jobs.. Now I dont even think that is possible.
Heck no. My afternoon bucket truck naps are the best. Pulling wires and climbing in holes is the easy life. Sure it isn't lucrative but anyone can do it for 30-40 years. And if you need a break, just press the disability time off button.
When I had 15 years . I considered it back in 2005. 15% more salary. My pension would of been frozen at 15 years which would of made it about 1/4 of what I'm getting now cause i wasn't pension eligible at the time. If you are pension eligible when you make the switch then it should be ok.Three of my good friends did make the switch in 2005. One is a 2nd liner now. They other two was laid off in less than 10 years.
Go. For it !!!!