I was just wondering what would happen if the members voted no on the contract.
33 replies (most recent on top)
@1se
Yea, because in the forties when right to work laws were passed the companies couldn’t survive without forcing 80 hour work weeks for peanuts. They seem to have done ok the last 80 years. Let’s abolish all unions and go back to company housing and the company store. You’d love that right? You think you’d get more than minimum wage? If you don’t want it someone else will. Your choice…unemployment living on snap benefits or take that minimum wage job. But hey, you can work 7 days a week and not get paid overtime. But you probably think you’re worth more. Companies will pay you top rate with or without a union. To make it clear, if no one (unions) is setting the scale higher companies will start the scale lower.
@23n
And this right here is why we get sc--wed over. No one is willing to go on strike. Just vote yes and blame someone else down the road. Instead of voting yes grow some hair down there and vote no.
you really don't want to find out unless you are willing to go on strike. don't be a clown, vote yes on the contract
@232
Lol, i've voted no on every contract since 2000. And ive voted yes to every strike vote. Dont come in here talking about riding the backs of true union members when the union tanked the minute they hired prem techs. Which im now convinced that you are. You just dont realize you are actually the one riding the backs of everyone who came before you while enjoying all the perks of being the union member you are now.
@20y
U, she/he/ours, are a major part of this union issue! You rode on the backs of TRUE union members by continuing to ratify these benefit reducing contracts you hold soooo dear today and then call one a whiny b***h for their take on this. Sure, the union job probably did well for you and your family, great for you! But to take another opinion that may be relevant to today's experiences and shrug it off as whiny is only making light of your very simple mind, as both can be true.
@1hf
Then quit being a whiny bi--h and go back to Comcast or dish network. Quit your job and go be a contractor. Or continue to whine about the union. But you’ll still enjoy the pay and benefits it provides you.
If unions were NOT full of belligerent Je-ks, there would never have been a need for the Right to work laws!
@13g you have to send a certified letters to one the union (ask your union president for the address) and one the company ask (HR for the company address) in side the 30 day window leading up to contract expiring in march,
if your willing to die on that hill then so be it..
In the end the only benefit to the union was getting the same wage as the Bosses pet who slept in their truck and had a 75%. Repeat rate!… I’ll tell what su-ks is at the last minute being brought in on your NS day to work in someone else’s RCA, while no one in that RCA is coming in on mandatory OT.. and when you to your union president you told it’s not the locals problem you need to go to the local in the other RCA for representation… so you go to their chief outside plant steward about it.. you get told that you should fist STFU.. and should consider it a privilege to work in there RCA.. I keep paying my DUE’s because it’s nearly impossible to get out and I’ve seen what they do to non union members.. Non union members get the worst trucks they are refused transfers, they get disinvited to retirement lunches..
seen a union officer cussing out and badmouthing non members tech all over management getting that tech a new test set ..life here only gets worse if you drop your card!! The Union will see to it!
I’ve zero respect for the CWA and their leadership!
@15m
You are a weak minded individual that has done NOTHING for my union dues other than vote. Why do you think anybody owes you anything just because you have been paying union dues for several decades? As a matter of fact, you are part of the problem for continuing to vote on these descending contracts over the years and giving the companies the upper hand as they have now, right??!!
@15m
WOW, tell us your a 30yr+ represented employee without actually saying it! Boomers voting on these descending contracts from way back and then want to tell US how good we got it! Burning it down on the way out too, sooooo American these days! Time to go inject the economy with all that benefit the union has brought me
@15m
Yep, keep hanging on to your union pipe dream! Anyone can go back and see what the Union SOLD members on the last 4 contracts. There were benefit affecting details (too large to be coincidence) that were conveniently left off the bullet points the union used for a ratification vote. You do realize your own benefits (same WONDERFUL union u speak of) have not kept up with the other Industry unions? Take your storied union career notes somewhere else... like Nutco
@13g
There is a tedious, date specific process, IF u work in a right to work state.
Just ask your CHATgpt assistant or your local!
Go be a contractor. Thats one way to get out of the union. Otherwise write a letter and tell em you want to decline paying dues. But only expect to save about 30 bucks a check since the rest will be taken out for "administrative fees".
Yet you'll still expect to enjoy the raises, vacation, sick time, benefits, seniority and pension the dues paying members are providing for you as essentially being an in house scab. Good for you, scab. Hope you find yourself needing representation some day for something completely not your fault and the local steward tells you to go f yourself. But most likely you'll be a low level manager soon.
@133 would love to get out of the union. Nobody knows how. Would love to hear how you did it.
@z0
Lobbyists... that is where the strike money has gone! Unions sold out to big business long ago and it is no secret. That's fine, I will take this last contract, and once ratified, I will Respectfully go through the regulated steps to remove myself from such union. Those few years of union dues will come in handy for my young families future. Yes, I do live in a right to work state!
@z5
Yes, Healthcare is no longer bargained for however... does one believe the union does not know if premiums are increasing with open enrollment starting in 2 weeks? Would have been helpful for the voting members to help make a quality decision on the contract is all. For instance, a 12% raise over 3 years could get negative in a hurry with increased health premiums. Its no secret anymore, working wages have not kept up with col and inflation over the years. Can't help but think that this information was being suppressed again... much like the last contract when everyone found out their 6% 401k Co match is actually 5%. That's all, just a simple ask for transperancy sakes.
@q3 layoffs will happen with or without new contract. Healthcare isn’t bargained for.
@ax
Amazing how those yes votes appear on the contract vote when the members also overwhelmingly vote to authorize a strike.
@yb
If they’re young then they’re most likely a prem tech and the contract won’t mean much to them. If they stay with lumen theyll get laid off. Lumen won’t have any use for fiber installers. I could be wrong…maybe the contract will carry over to networkCo. Or possibly theyll have a deal there.
Point being is job security is fleeting anymore. The union gave that up years ago when it changed from fight for our rights to well, it’s better than nothing. On a side note, I wonder where all the money in the strike fund is. Should be about 27 years worth in there…..or not.
As I see it, especially with the percentages being relayed this new contract passed by, this will be the last contract. There is a precedent being sent that job security is more important than pay (even tho it should be both) to these young people. Officially on the clock, use these next 3 years to get ur affairs in order!
If the members vote no then the union bosses don't get the bonus from the company.
@hk
Ha, essentially worker bonus. They didn’t and still don’t care about anyone beneath them in the corporate ladder. I still remember the suit that said “we’re not paying them extra money just for showing up to work”. Guess the pos didn’t realize just showing up meant 60 plus hour weeks installing the extra services for at home workers….and those that were at home with Covid. The company line was, ask the customer if they have Covid. Because customers would never lie just to get their fiber installed and not wait another 2 weeks. Never forget we’re all just a number on the balance sheet. That’s it. Nothing more.
@q3
Newer employees are afraid to vote no. And there’s not enough old heads left to outvote them. It’s a union in name but not the union I grew up in. Glad I’m on my way out to pasture. Feel bad for the future of these kids.
@p8 only 9% had the guts to vote no.
Just wait until they see how much their healthcare has gone up.
Not to mention more layoffs.
91% yes. 9% No.
Worry about it in 2029. It was already a yes before it was voted on by the 35 people who bothered to vote. The union is watered down now by apathy and fear.
Well, at this point, shouldn't matter. Much like the working class everywhere, NO one is getting ahead in this company unless your a part of the ever growing SLT club.
@ac
You betcha, shortly after all bankruptcy and liquidation commence... long after management!
Maybe, just maybe: SLT, management and all the paper pushers filling a chair would have a little more respect for HOW we contribute to the company. Maybe we will end up getting a decent raise that doesnt end up getting eaten by the looming insurance bump thats coming. Maybe we can actually get the "essential worker" bonus promised during lockdown when everyone else was "wfh" in their pj's. Maybe a little extra for installing and repairing internet service, that helped many keep their jobs and the companies bottom line WAY better than it would have. Maybe a little more extra for being the ones earning less, while working, to keep America's economy working for all the extra liberal monies given to not work and causing the inflation we deal with now. That's all, and we sure hope it happens!
The company and union would continue to negotiate until march when the contract expires, but with that said for the last 30 years the union has managed to find enough Yes votes even for the 3 contracts in a row where wages were frozen.
The majority will vote yes, they always do. Especially since most of the members will be gone shortly.