SBC CWA Strike Imminent 572
Tmack writes "SBC union workers are preparing (again) to strike after negotiations have broken down between CWA and SBC. What this means to the average person? As long as the strike is taking place, orders for new service and repair of existing services with SBC will be delayed as only non-union workers and temps will be around to complete the work. Latest word is the strike is now planned for Friday night through next Tuesday. Check here(1),
here(2), and here(3)
for more info."
Outsourcing demands (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Who? What? (Score:1, Interesting)
NOT A TROLL
Nice that you as a "manager" have time to read slashdot. No wonder jobs are being outsourced left and right... Oh wait, yes, you're a "manager" so your job is pretty safe.
For the moment...
I am a potential scab! (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Who? What? (Score:3, Interesting)
Best decision I ever made, leaving that job.
Story published to encourage union bashing (Score:2, Interesting)
Unions brought us child labor laws, eight hour days, overtime pay, the weekend, paid vacations, etc. You think the bosses just gave us all that? Hardly. People fought and died for those benefits and protections, and even if you aren't in a union, rest assured that unions and the threat of unions has made your job better.
Re:unions Suck! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:A little locale (Score:4, Interesting)
I live in Chicago, and as far as I know, this will affect millions of people from here to Texas. It should at least get an honorable mention for that. Most strikes I hear in the news seem to be about things /.ers don't really care for (not as much as technology) -- you know, mass transit, newspapers, mass transportation... umm... air traffic control (thanks, Reagan. :-( ). Since these are telecom workers, they would be one of the closest parallels to you average everyday software developer unionizing.
There are plenty differences, which I'm sure are to be pointed out in various child posts, but hey, it made front page for some reason.
Convenient Timing, that... (Score:4, Interesting)
If SBC has the gonadal substructure, they'll reply with "Well, with all these AT&T people coming on board, we'll be way over staffed, and we'll have to start cutting some jobs..."
Hey, I'm against both sides. I just enjoy a good corporate bloodbath. Movies are getting too expensive, news is free.
Re:Convenient Timing, that... (Score:3, Interesting)
Funny, when a business maximizes it's return by exploiting the situation it's called smart. When a union does the same thing it's called blackmail. Why is that? Are union members supposed to be saints? Can't they be as ruthless as the management?
Re:Say what you will... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:And we will be able to notice what difference? (Score:3, Interesting)
> I mean, honestly. Having no technicians to fix things will mean what exactly?
Dan beat me to this one, so I'll second his opinion. The only thing I can't figure out is who's left in the union. Techs, what techs? All they seem to have telemarketers and sales droids. Any technical issues are Your Problem.Re:You can say that again (Score:4, Interesting)
You may be better at your job than the idiot in the next cube, but seniority policies actually protect workers. They help prevent the company from hiring someone into a higher level position based on their (supposed) experience. There's nothing worse than having your new supervisor hired from outside, finding out that his qualifications are b.s. and then being stuck with him until his contract runs out.
Hiring all employees at the same wage, and then giving them regular promotions and raises, prevents elitism in the rank and file.
Unions by being able to negotiate with authority protect workers, provide protection, and create a sense of brother-ship instead of competition.
--this has been my pro union party line. I've worked in union and non union environments and I must say that I much prefer union.
Its suprising.... (Score:3, Interesting)
There are some particularly interesting things to note about this strike (for the record I am one of the replacement workers set to go in to work when they go on strike, alongside alot of out of town SBC managers and some retired SBC workers).
First off, the original strike deadline was set for the 7th of May, for some stupid reason the CWA decided to work through the deadline even though next to NO concessions were made by SBC, thus weakening their position.
Second, as if it didnt seem dumb before, this isnt the first time the CWA tried this tactic, they previously did the same thing at Verizon last year, not suprisingly they ended up getting squeezed on most issues, including a ~$1 billion healthcare package.
Third, the strike is, if you can believe this, a 4 day only strike....to quote a CWA spokesperson "this will show SBC how seriously we are taking this issue."....right....so, to show how serious you are, you worked through one deadline....set another, and then openly told them it would last no more than 4 days....thats serious folks.
Also for what its worth the same spokesperson said the move was only 4 days because they dont want to inflict permanent damage to SBC's business, however at the same time they are mobilizing a carrier switch campaign aimed at persuading SBC's business customers to switch over to AT&T (who does business in 11 of SBC's 13 operating states).
Personally I think the CWA workers have a D@MN good job, and even with the increases laid out in this plan have some excellent healthcare plans....however I feel bad for them because it appears their negotiators have their heads firmly implanted in their rectums.
I honestly wish I could get by without taking this job because while I disagree with the unions I dont neccisarily like the idea of being a replacement worker, but apparently unbeknownst to the CWA workers, the economy sucks and IT jobs are about as scarce as it gets. But either way, as long as I make enough money to keep a roof over my head and they get enough of their demands met, I guess its a win/win.
Rediculous IMO (Score:2, Interesting)
SBC non-union employees pay about $500 a month out of their checks and already have a $20 copay.
These guys have cushy jobs... What other job can you stretch 4 jobs out over the course of a day, sit in your truck and read the paper for 4 hoursm and then collect overtime to boot?
I'm not an SBC employee, but i know that as a VP @ a NYC brokerage firm, I pay $450 monthly for medical (that doesnt even include dental) and have a $20 copay.. And i actually have to work for a living.
These guys need to come back to reality and stay at work. If it were upto me I'd fire all of the ungrateful bastages, and give the jobs to those who are out of a job. People whine about the economy, but it cant be that bad if these guys are crying about a $5 raise in their copay
Just my $0.02
Re:opinion of SBC from a retiree (Score:1, Interesting)
There is a lot of push in SBC to cut costs without any real understanding of what they are doing. They pay more to move old sparcs than they would if the just junked them and boucht new. They mandate flying policys for "cost savings" that cost 2 to 3 times more than taking a regular direct flight.
They will ship a reem of paper UPS across the country rather than let us buy local because volumn purchasing "saves money"
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An SBC employee posting anonymously so I don't get fired.
Re:Who? What? (Score:3, Interesting)
I miss the name, not the service. I'm fine with the service upgrades, but there was something kind of pleasant about the name Michigan Bell.
Re:opinion of SBC from a retiree (Score:3, Interesting)
Thanks for this. Just yesterday I had final words with a subcontractor. I watched him dick around in a cherry picker for almost an hour looking for the "right" place to mount an aerial. Then he came down and said he wanted to have a custom mount made. His arguement was he wanted to do the best job he could. I had to lay down the law on this - when I have fixed install costs and scheduled delivery times, I can't have a bespoke installation done. There are a dozen variables involved in delivering telecoms service and there are tolerances everywhere. In order to keep a company alive, they need to be taken advantage of to a reasonable extent.
My last day with SBC. (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyways, SBC is fucking cheap. They make mad profit every year, but they can't afford a single water cooler for our little 90 person office on the shoreline in Connecticut. They want you plugged in and taking calls on time, but the clocks go unfixed. It feels like a fucking casino. A simple bit of routine maintenance. I'm surprised the mens bathroom light got fixed today.
Good employees that make a company as profitable as it is, should not be treated like disposable trash.
Re:You can say that again (Score:2, Interesting)