Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

You can thank out sh--ty union for this sh-- contract.

Exactly 7zpl. It also has only really been a sh--ty company since the GTE merger. Life certainly not wasted. These trolls wallow in bitterness and despair. They act as if they don't age at a different rate as everyone else. The difference is when their time comes to leave, they wont have a pot to piss in.

The fake recovery. We’ll never catch up, we only fall behind.

“Wages and salaries are rising at the fastest clip since 2008, notching an annual 2.8% gain. Employers are competing for a shrinking pool of qualified workers by improving their compensation packages, Labor Department data suggests. The overall employment-cost index — “generally considered the best measure of US worker compensation” — also rose 2.8% from a year earlier.”

Procter & Gamble will hike prices for some of its biggest brands, including Pampers diapers, Bounty paper towels, Charmin toilet paper and Puffs tissues. The price increases, between 4% and 5%, will come into effect late this year or early 2019. A strong economy and healthy consumer spending are leading companies to raise prices, and, as the biggest player in its field, P&G “tends to drive industry-wide pricing moves.”

Pension, 401k, medical and a entire career making great money...how is that life wasted? I’m about ready to retire when the next eisp comes along. Go back to slamming hums on customers while you can....soon every phone will be sold online.

Congratulations on a life wasted working for a $hit company old man.

@7jvh: You sound as if you’re jealous about the layoff protection so you’re wishing ill toward those that have it. I will never be laid off. I’ve worked my career here and am about ready to retire.

Help support your brothers and sisters that are now at Frontier. Oh wait they were laid off after they were sold off.

History has and always will repeat itself.

Agreed 6wca. I think it will pass by a huge margin. I believe we should give it more time but many are probably happy to have another 5 years of secure employment. I will vote no, but like you I don't even know if I want to work 5 more years. I will top of the 401k and pension and leave whenever I tire of the place. I guess its good to know that leaving will be on my own terms.

I think this will pass by a large margin, but given the time we have left I would rather see us go for an even better deal. Now is the time.

But, my prediction is that it will pass, so it is what it is, and since I am pre-2003 it gives me 5 more years that I can’t be laid off and my pension and 401 will grow.

Most likely I will retire before the end, but who knows.

My yes vote is in the mail.

I predict this contract ratifies by 90% yes vote.

Matters not to me....I’m taking the 4th quarter eisp, so I’ll be gone before the extension takes effect.

I predict the new contract DIES. Everyone in my garage ( 40+ techs) voted NO. Anyone who cannot retire by 2023 will vote NO. If it were ratified, it would be the last contract, ever. 5G will be the only option by then and we would be finished. We MUST bargain for pensions FOR ALL, even if it is a reduced pension, not just those hired before 1993. Don't be a selfish POS. Vote NO if you have a heart.

@4fgk: I think you are missing the point. I don’t think this is a bad deal, I just think that with all the time left and the company apparently anxious to settle this early that there is room and time to see if we can do even better. If this is the best we can do, then fine. If there is some reason that the Union thinks the company would change its position if we didn’t accept so early, then let’s hear it.

I just don’t see what there is to lose by trying for a little more. There seems to be plenty of time left in which to do so.

My YES vote is in the mail kids. It’s a good deal in my opinion. Everybody has nonsense conspiracy theories about the Negotiation Team and they should be ashamed of themselves. These wonderful work likes dogs to get us the best deal possible. You’re always gonna have morons with their “I heard” billshit but the truth is that this contract is a fair deal and a big union victory.

@4zoe You will never get that until you are willing to strike for it. Vote no. That being said post 2003 members have incredible job protection. No one in the company other than pre 2003 members have it better in that regard. There are an enormous number of gyrations the company must go through to even suggest a layoff. They have to offer job sharing , voluntary transfers, elimination of contractors in affected titles, offer educational leave of absences, etc. After exhausting all of the contractual requirements they then must offer the ISP offer and if all this does not satisfactorily resolve the surplus condition an EISP must be offered. A condition would have to exist where all of this occurs and no one takes an EISP before a layoff can happen. It is near impossible for a post 2003 member to be laid off. There are also call back protections and the person effectively is forced to take an EISP. (Many senior members are salivating for an EISP) If you feel this is insufficient protection be willing to strike to change that. The day will likely come that enough people agree with you when a more realistic fear of layoff rears its head. Any fear of layoff by post 2003 members is largely fueled by jealous scab types. Nobody in the represented titles is getting laid off anytime soon if ever. Certainly not in the next five years. The protections the pre 2003 people have where fought for by them. No one was left behind. Those without the "bulletproof" status where not here to win it. There day will come someday but with a fight most assuredly. I am certain those still here will proudly fight along side them when that battle becomes necessary. Vote No.

How about a contract were ALL EMPLOYEES have (2003) job protection, new hires have a pension, and ALL are TREATED as EQUALS like the Union preaches?

A bird in the hand can be very messy.

I’ll take the bush.

@3rqr again absurdity. Conspiracy theory type mumbo jumbo. Independent auditor? There are not two parties here. The vote is a yes or no to contract ratification. The vote pertains to one party us and whether we like the deal or not. The Hells Angels have a theory on secrets. Three people can keep one if two of them are dead. Each local has a private ballot overseen by many members. Any member can be present to observe the tally after the vote at the said voting location. There are simply to many eyes on the event for the vote to be anything but representative of the members intent. Additionally each one of these votes is happening at different times on different days in the coming weeks it would take some seriously real super secret spy type Manchurian Candidate type planning to coordinate such a devilish plot to make us have a 5 year deal shoved down our throats. Another complicating factor for your conspirators is that two separate International Unions are involved furthering the cooperation and secrecy needed to play out your fantasy. What would happen if say IBEW delivers the "Promised" yes vote but CWA does not? What if the opposite occurs? That said I am sure a location or two will vote it down, many persons I know will vote no. Most will vote yes. Many will choose the piece of mind of secure well paid labor contract for five more years over the uncertainty of "Possible" gains.

I am sure leaders will make it known that the deal presented is best for us, maybe it is. I don't know. I invite everyone to vote no it is still very early. I suspect it will pass but again not due to some conspiracy fantasy. It will pass due to something much more real, human nature. Many people are to lazy to vote look at national voter participation rates. Many are fearful of the unknown, look at the wireless side fearful to unionize and have a voice for a possible better future. So stick with what we got. Many are apathetic and again wont vote they feel like who cares the decision has been made already. Pragmatism is another reason a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush as someone below stated. So you don't like it? Vote no then you can at least blame the other members.

I appreciate the efforts of all involved in negotiating, on both sides of the table. I know it’s not easy, dealing with uncertainty and second guessing yourself.

I also appreciate when we do not have to strike to reach a fair agreement, though I am always willing to stay out as long as it takes if we’re going to otherwise get beat up.

To be honest, I am disappointed in the raises and rapidly escalating healthcare costs being passed on to the Union member under this new proposed agreement.

There was a time, not so long ago, in which 3% raises each year were commonplace.

I also, as a reasonable person, understood that, during the lean years, such as in recessions, maybe the due 3% was unattainable.

However, the economy’s booming now, there’s a politically favorable climate for industries currently, and there’s so much fewer of us now than there were in the early 2000’s, the fiber’s less costly to maintain than the copper was, and a lot of work previously done by others is now the outside field techs responsibility.

My tablet makes me not only an outside field tech, but I am now also a clerical administrator, a foreman, an engineer...

Please don’t misconstrue this as a complaint about the new work load. It’s more a commentary on the fact that I think, with more and more responsibility, there should be an equitable increase in the worth of that labor.

As a side note, I was shocked to learn after the last strike was settled, after having been out 49 or so days, that concessions that had been made at the bargaining table before we walked, remained intact. This seemed odd, and I wondered why we were out. Now, it’s easy to second guess people. I know that. I also know that I am not at the negotiating table, but it does make one wonder. I wish we were told prior to going out that paying for medical was already written in concrete. I also wondered about the timing of the calling of the strike’s end, as many were about to get unemployment benefits after 6 weeks of suffering.

But, again, I’m not there.

It’s not uncommon that I’ve come through a strike in the past with an understanding that certain things had been accomplished, only to find out later that they had, in reality, not been.

I am not a troll. Just wondering why, at times, we do what we do.

And, to reiterate, thank you for giving it your best. It’s easy to take potshots, be a Monday Morning Quarterback, and to criticize. It’s gotta be hard as hell, the weight of having to negotiate, while navigating uncertain waters, on your shoulders.

Thank you.

Yes, by all means, why the bums rusn.

We have a year to ponder all this, do we not?

Why the false element of urgency, a fake deadline being shoved upon us as if it meant something?

Is this some sort of line in the sand that we must unquestioningly somehow abide because that’s what we’re being ordered to do by the powers that be?

I thought we were the power.

I also think the wage increases stink, and tbe exorbitant rises in medical cost being passed onto us are intolerable.

Why rush? Last time around we worked without a contract until we had enough and went out. Look what happen to the work load. The company is only looking at the next 5 years as a way to build out 5g and let wireless sell it from there. Then the transition will happen where we will market and push for 5g streaming tv. What will happen to us then?

Why the certainty that your vote matters @2mng, is it an independant auditor tallying the votes?

@ 2uaq You present an absurd Theory. If the majority of us vote no negotiations continue. If the majority of us vote yes we are good for five more years. The choice is ours. It matters not what the leadership wants. While I don't believe the union is corrupt it would not matter anyway. The vote by us is what decides how we go forward. Any argument refuting that fact is ludicrous.

Vote no if you don't like it.

They’re

I agree the union should of negotiated better for us . But we all know there bought and owned by the company

Why do they need you? Nearly anybody can be trained to do your job in 1 to 3 weeks.

The deal isn't bad but I say keep talking and see if we can do better.

The anti-Union troll’s Nostradumbass.

@izpm you where the same troll predicting a lockout in 2019. What is it a lockout in 2019 , a sale in 2023 or was it a bloodbath in 2016? You have got to clear your head so you can see the future more clearly. Many await your prophecies.

NO

That poor, intellectually-challenged, anti-Union troll has reemerged as @1zpm.

Son, your grandaddy told me back in ‘97 there was no future for me here.

I’m still here, but he’s dead.

Follow his example just a little further.

5g will be contracted out. Solidified contract needed to sell wireline.

CWA = Can't Win Anything

@1phf: I agree. My vote is no.

If it passes we have no one to blame but ourselves, or at least the weak majority. You see how weak and feckless the wireless people are. They don't want to put up a fight. What we are getting now while not bad is a result of the previous fight's sting. If we want more this time we need to fight more. If we do not then we will settle with this. Do not be like the wireless punks vote no. Do not hide behind the excuse that it is the inevitable or that the union wont fight. They will do what we say based on the votes.

Most say that they think the company doesn’t want the 5G plan interrupted, so it’s a good time to get as much as we can out of them while they still need us. Good points being made here, let’s see if we can get more. I’m voting no, let’s give this more time.

The C. W. A.

The Company Wins Again!

VOTE NO!

We got them this time!

I am thinking that VZ does not want any slowdown during the roll out of 5G?

not sure?

I think it will be ratified as most I have talked to are glad they don’t have to worry about it for 5 more years, but I see what you’re saying. The company didn’t want any interruptions in whatever upcoming plans they have so I think there’s room to sweat a little more out of them.

If you don't like it vote against it. I actually invite everyone to. It is a democratic process. Not everyone will be happy. Look at our national politics, split near 50/50. If enough people feel as you do there will be more negotiating to come. If not it will be signed. As you state there is still a year before it is critical. I overall agree with you that it is a bit premature, however there is nothing sinister going on. Most will vote for the surety of this and our current work rules and wages are decent and as a side note the medical costs were disclosed to us at least in my area. Ultimately it is up to us as members collectively to yea or nay this. Any argument that it is the negotiators fault if you don't like the deal are bogus. They will and legally must do what our voting tells them.

A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush