atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General Telecom News 45,000 Verizon employees on strike

But union officials say that the field technicians and call center workers generally earn $60,000 to $77,000 before overtime and that benefits come to well under $50,000 a year.

Any truth to this? 50K for benies???

Depending on what part of the country you are in 60-77k (before taxes I assume) is not bad but could be better. In the metro NYC area for instance you would be hard pressed to support a family of two on that. But what I don't understand is what they are giving you for "under 50K" in the way of benefits? I get my health insurance through my wife's company. The Oxford policy covers both of us for everything including drugs for around 8K a year that the company pays fully. Even a family policy isn't that much more. I assume they contribute to your 401(K) also but geeze...

Don't think I'm picking on you, my biggest beef is with municipal unions that have police and fire and other muni workers wages at around 100k with retirement after 20 years at around 80% of that plus your overtime for the last two years. So if you started at age twenty at age 40 you can retire, collect a huge pension for the rest of your life (often more than what you were paid while you were working) while you start a new career. When times were good nobody cared but we can't afford that kind of excess now.

-Hal

When I was still working for AT&T our benefits were valued at about $8000, that's the value the company put on them. That's 10 years ago but I doubt they've quadrupled.

From what I've read the company placed over 100 givebacks on the table and when the strike was called not one had been removed. It's true it takes a long time to recover the money lost, but you never get back once it's given. I don't know all the details, seems no one ever does, but I do know that calling a strike is the last resort.

You can't work without a contract, unless the company agrees. You can't extend a contract, unless the company agrees. You can't continue to bargain unless the other side agrees and does so in good faith.

We don't know all the facts so we can't assume the walkout was what the union wanted. It takes two to Tango ya know.

Well here is another side to the strike... i had a customer ready to move yesterday ... Verizon was due between 9AM and 1PM to install the new service but never showed up.

My customer called Time Warner Cable... they will be installing their new lines within 3 days. This strike is going to create a lot of stories like this one.

I had a conversation with someone that supplies cable installers here on long island and he was requested to put 10 more trucks on the road yesterday.

Bill, You dont want to know what our benefits look like now...I assure you its nothing like it was in the good ol days before SBC. They used to be great..its gotten to the point I dropped them and picked up my wifes

All companies are cutting benefits. I know what you're talking about Anthony as mine have been cut drastically also.

This is nothing more than corporate greed, plain and simple. 100 give backs? Give me a break. This along with record profits? Both sides are taking a stand as to where the middle class is going to end up. Which side wins will effect us all.

:thumb:

Sam

I don't know why, but I was invited to join a conference call about the Verizon strike. Seems about the only thing Verizon has done so far is budget over a billion dollars for a negative ad blitz. There's been no movement on the issues at all. Though bargaining continues at Verizon's whim (they've canceled several sessions). So I'm hoping soon they will agree to some serious bargaining. Look what they are spending on their ad blitz. And they need givebacks?

This story reminds me of the old saw about the buggy whip makers when the automobile started to come onto the scene. Changing technology butts up against the old way of doing things.

Ergo, the new comms technologies are causing the demise of the landline service, and thus, the companies can no longer afford the sugar deals with the unions (or at least that is what they say). I am neither pro or anti labor. I have been on both sides of that issue so I see both sides. What I will say is that I fear that the effect of this strike might be to drive yet even more customers away from the landlines. That in my opinion is a negative.

However, unlike the buggy whip makers angst at the comming of the automobile, I feel that the landline will ultimately make a big comeback when the digital-ized, packet-ized, computerized comms systems break down due to whatever... solar flare, EMP, cyber warfare, etc. Once that digital house of cards falls, there will be no comming back. Then, people will realize the safety and security of the switched POTS service, and there will (IMHO) be a mass return to that technology.

Just my two cents worth.

I do hope in the meantime that the workers can find a solution that allows them to keep their jobs and benefits. In this economy, it is very hard to raise a family with a steady job, let alone without one. My thoughts are with them.

Best,

Joe Herdler

Verizon is an absolute mess and has been for years. Worst customer service in the country, bar none. Customers are leaving in droves to comcast and others, if you work there your lucky to have a job. I don't think I have been on a job that wasn't somehow screwed up by verizon in probably 7 to 10 years. The best thing I can say about them is they are consistant, in every state they provide service they are late, ineffecient and unconcerned.

Mark