This is the first time in a long time where I just let it all go. Gave disagrees to all major leadership and my own leadership a neutral. Couldn't agree or tend to agree on much of anything. It was as eye-opening to me as it will likely be to leadership - assuming they aren't just giving their own management a reach-around.
40 replies (most recent on top)
The emperor doesn’t want to know they don’t have any clothes on, they are aghast when someone gives a less than perfect. They are so used to sycophants blowing smoke that it has to be just some disgruntled employees.
Since I don’t believe the surveys are anonymous, I gave all top ratings. Nothing good can come from complaining. I keep my mouth shut and negative thoughts to myself. Turn off the nonsense at 5pm and collect my paycheck. It’s not hard. It’s just a job. It’s kept me off the lay off list going on 38 years.
They don’t care what your responses are, even if they are all negative. For some reason they get more aggravated when you don’t do them, which is why I just ignore those things.
ALL of my answers were, Neither agree nor disagree! It makes my survey response essentially worthless
Another survey which will lead nothing changing. No follow up from leadership showing the action plan. These surveys are getting old.
These surveys are NOT anonymous!
These surveys are not anonymous. I keep getting texts and emails asking me why I haven’t done the survey yet. If it’s really anonymous, how do they know I haven’t done it already?
Unfortunately for those of us in the CO’s our managers have been retiring and are being replaced by outside managers. The micromanaging and trying to find safety issues is starting to creep in, I hope it doesn’t become the toxic mess like outside and the centers. I understand why, they were beat down and had to drink the kool-aid outside so they can’t help themselves. I assume they feel the need to justify their jobs with all the layoffs but chill and sit back like the Maytag repairman. Didn’t have any issues way before you all came on-board, we are competent, do our jobs so don’t create issues when there aren’t any, Please!
This 100%.
If we ever get some Tip and Ring Copper Cowboy manager, we will allow him (or) her know their their worth very quickly. In short order that "manager" will have pronouns as such, "was" and "used to be".
They have to change and update some management titles every few years is because they are constantly moving the chairs due to right sizing. They have to update the titles, education requirements for nepotistic reasons in order to keep the people they want and move them into the new title doing the same job. It’s not because the job requirements changed or you need some new certificate/degree for the demands of your job. AT&T is like the Federal govt., slow to change. I’m sure you think you are hot stuff with your 2020 udacity certs and degree. Lol!
On the other hand top craft who touch the network has had for decades be able to meet Bell Core practices, SAFETY, DOT, NEC, OSHA, EPA, FED, STATE and LOCAL laws and requirements. The skills experienced techs have are transferable to the newer fiber systems and equipment while having to maintain all the legacy systems ie.. lead, air pressure, pulp, paper, cooper, c-wire, load coils, repeaters, SLC sites etc.. AT&T is reducing the legacy network but not getting rid of it so you are incorrect about most of those skills being outdated. Yes it takes years to be a fully trained and competent tech so, guess which group is being outsourced and going AI while the other is still being hired? The one that touches the network or one that works remotely? Hmmm…. Let me think!
I challenge you to go look at the detailed job descriptions and the years of training it takes for most top craft titles (not entry level) then compare them to yours. You’d be amazed! That’s not even counting the physical and environmental conditions one has to endure”.
I have friend. Most of them in-fact for every regional contract. East to find on HR Onestop and anyone in the company can look at the job briefs. Just like you or anyone can go to career intelligence and check out job descriptions for management jobs. I found it comical that many of the union job descriptions for “top craft” had not been updated in over 20 years ( some even longer than that). To the point where some job descriptions do not even align with todays actual work functions. All of the management titles appear to be reviewed every 2-3 years at minimum and updated accordingly with expected work functions AND educational recommendations/requirements.
Strongly disagree
May have to give my first unsatisfactory survey.
Unfortunately for those of us in the CO’s our managers have been retiring and are being replaced by outside managers. The micromanaging and trying to find safety issues is starting to creep in, I hope it doesn’t become the toxic mess like outside and the centers. I understand why, they were beat down and had to drink the kool-aid outside so they can’t help themselves. I assume they feel the need to justify their jobs with all the layoffs but chill and sit back like the Maytag repairman. Didn’t have any issues way before you all came on-board, we are competent, do our jobs so don’t create issues when there aren’t any, Please!
Can’t wait for the next round of contract negotiations. Would love to see the company finally play hardball with the CWA and IBEW. I’m personally tired of listening to the union techs cryfry about how bad they have it. Wouldn’t it be great if they included their hourly wage, job function details and benefits info on those picket signs? If the general public had any idea how much they get paid for the near elementary level of work they do, the support would vanish. The devil is in the details. You only have to look beyond the surface.
This isn't the late 1800's anymore. The companpany can't hire the Pinkerton Company to shoot up the striking workers. The best option for CWA to go on strike is to simply not go into work. The general public is stupid, they won't care why their internet and Sail-foams don't work. They will only know that their AT&T service is not working.
There is no need for the workers to go on pickets lines. That is so 1930. The Union needs only to let the company eat its own. Send "managers" with all of that "training" hundreds of miles from home to work unending hours with no overtime pay to perform tasks they are ill equipped to do both physically and mentally. Some fall from ladders and die, some stroke out. AT&T provides you with a 15K death benefit though.
Yes, I very much want to play hardball.
Post ID: @1mtb+1lZLGARF
You do understand that many of these "Network Builders" tasks are becoming automated, the rest are increasingly being outsourced to low wage Countries such as India, Czech Republic and the Philippines. You, and your colleagues have spent some time learning your job. AT&T appreciates that, and to show their appreciation, AT&T needs you to do a knowledge transfer. AT&T will use your experience to create flowcharts and scripts to handle 70-80% of the workload. That is a C+ at best, but I promise you, that is good enough for AT&T.
I challenge you to go look at the detailed job descriptions and the years of training it takes for most top craft titles (not entry level) then compare them to yours. You’d be amazed! That’s not even counting the physical and environmental conditions one has to endure.
I can teach a monkey to follow a script or flow chart from a knowledge base, it’s why they are offshoring those positions. My 10 year old can pull data and make power point presentations too, elementary my dear Watson. Staff and VP levels need reduced too.
The surveys are pointless and a complete waste of one's time. A 3rd company will take all these responses and cherry pick certain ones on which to highlight back to at&t, and depending on that specific response they'll either just give it a thumbs up or say 'that person is already looking to leave' and dismiss it.
Bottom line is, when you take the time to have your feedback processed out by a third party, there's no point in wasting your time
Some people still haven’t learned, even going through the Pandemic who is really essential.
Join the Union so you won’t be so bitter. The C-suite has better agreements/contracts too despite doing elementary power points, playing golf, going to football games in the VIP suites, collaborating at the Masters, Pebble Beach, driven by a chauffeur, fly in corp. jets, club dues paid, chef prepared meals, stock options, exit severances, etc… could go on for days.. you get the picture. You are just disgruntled because you are in the middle, finally realize the fact you don’t have a signed contract/agreement and the company is taking your benefits away. Can’t blame you for being upset but it’s misdirected anger.
We will see if it’s anonymous, I rated mine a 5 out of 5 on being the biggest dik scale. One nut away from being the king squirrel.
Can’t wait for the next round of contract negotiations. Would love to see the company finally play hardball with the CWA and IBEW. I’m personally tired of listening to the union techs cryfry about how bad they have it. Wouldn’t it be great if they included their hourly wage, job function details and benefits info on those picket signs? If the general public had any idea how much they get paid for the near elementary level of work they do, the support would vanish. The devil is in the details. You only have to look beyond the surface.
Caterwauling……See what I mean. They just can’t help it. “We built the network” - Correction, you perform the labor intensive grunt work in the access infrastructure that could be contracted out for a fraction of the cost. You don’t touch the technology and magic that makes the company run everyday. We wouldn’t let you fools anywhere near it. “We are skilled!!!” - Sure dude…Keep living the dream of running inside wire on your hands and knees, hanging drop in the rain, pulling buried drop in the mud, splicing 60 year old cr-p copper, climbing up wooden poles, putting plastic boxes on people’s houses and sitting around on the phone waiting for the “real” smart people to let you know when it’s good. Keep up the good work buddy. You deserve every penny of that ridiculously high wage you get (your union, so don’t even pretend that you “earned” it) !!!
You seem to believe the network ends at the end of your LAN connection. You might also be in group that is about to be ELIMINATED much like the Uverse TRC.
You might have a grievance with Prem Techs, as the work you describe is what they do.
I assure you, there are thousands of outside plant technicians that make your "mouse click" happen. They climb poles, pump water out of manholes to find where your mouse click trouble is (You know, those strange looking round metal covers everywhere) to restore service. They work is the worst parts of town and have to have eyes on the back of their head. They climb ladders to hook on a strand (that is a telecomm cable a few feet below the secondary power distribution 7200 volt line) to fix a splice that is wet or has a phucking bullet in it. They also have to find repeater cases that do not have the correct address. They do all of this because they know the outside plant like the back of their hand.
They do all of this in every type of weather, freezing rain, 110 degree heat. All of which you "network builders" are terrified to do.
I wish with a great amount of conviction that the Union will strike next contract. I will gladly sit out for months to see the company call up their "Contingency Workforce".
The company will tidy up those that won't buy their boots and travel to work hundreds of miles away for strike duty. Although any "manager" should be able to do any craft job with a few days training, right? This will be fun.
Had one of these under the "Kitch" and the results were so bad that the id--t decided we were a bunch of malcontents and ignored the results.
These surveys are meaningless unless they present a wonderful, which never happens.
Tell the truth and if the results are low then opinions are WRONG.
Have been in those feedback meetings and in most of the groups I have been in the solid business complaints have been taken seriously at the lower levels. Will admit that some can’t or won’t be fixed for various reasons. Replacing entire systems because they are old won’t happen just like wanting more vacation time. And yes we were able to figure out who made some of the responses. Interesting how many crazy responses were bragged about by the people who had made them.
Mangers see the demographics (age group, location, yrs with company, etc) so it is not completely anonymous. My mama says if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
This topic always brings the tin foil hat club out. They ARE anonymous. You should be honest and candid and processional in your feedback
If your team has beef with your manager, the other option, and a great idea I saw someone mention below (though difficult to pull off) would be to get everyone on your team to not take it. The pressure on L3 and above to get a 100% response rate is significant . If you could somehow manage to get no one to respond that would be EPIC. And far more effective than whatever you would have said in the survey .
Post ID: @qci+1lZLGARF
If you're management, your lack of understanding and jealousy is quite apparent! Keep up the good work though, working for less than what we earn and for benefits that you're losing more of every year! I feel for you management personnel cuz you're getting more and more bitter everyday, every year and it shows!
Another course of action if you work for a bad manager is wait to the very last minute to answer the survey. Their manager is on them the whole time about getting their team to answer the survey or it’s not a good look for them.
One time our group stuck together and nobody answered the survey, our terrible manager at the time (past tense) had to answer a lot of uncomfortable questions why? The end result was that manager became vaporware. Like a ball team (unless family) and if the results are bad, leadership replaces the manager not the entire team, something to think about.
Can’t wait to hear about my managers action plan, she is an azz. Will enjoy this survey!
Hey clueless posters, just because someone says they are being honest on their survey doesn’t automatically mean they are Union. Managers do survey their manager too, sheesh!
OP just signed his layoff papers
Pffttt! The company has and is currently outsourcing your job to India and replacing it with AI left and right but guess what they can’t get rid of people like us who actually touch the network. Don’t worry you may get your chance to show your pompous a$$ skills next year when the contract is up and you get to show everyone how incompetent you are, if we go on strike.
I remember when we struck for a short time in 2019 and most managers were terrified about doing craft work. They were very glad when we returned to work. We appreciate what they do and they reciprocate the feeling back so it’s mutual. They aren’t working in a glass house like you, a legend in your own mind. What a dork!
Hey union turds! Too bad you can’t put your professional equivocating skills to use here in the board and “survey” us up some management punishment. Guess you’ll just have to rely on the companies useless employee survey that really serves no other function than to provide you with a bizlatch forum that creates unnecessary work for hard working managers. Enjoy dummyz.
Caterwauling……See what I mean. They just can’t help it. “We built the network” - Correction, you perform the labor intensive grunt work in the access infrastructure that could be contracted out for a fraction of the cost. You don’t touch the technology and magic that makes the company run everyday. We wouldn’t let you fools anywhere near it. “We are skilled!!!” - Sure dude…Keep living the dream of running inside wire on your hands and knees, hanging drop in the rain, pulling buried drop in the mud, splicing 60 year old cr-p copper, climbing up wooden poles, putting plastic boxes on people’s houses and sitting around on the phone waiting for the “real” smart people to let you know when it’s good. Keep up the good work buddy. You deserve every penny of that ridiculously high wage you get (your union, so don’t even pretend that you “earned” it) !!!
It’s just one of the narcissistic managers that knows they can’t control the survey so their employees that have issues and concerns will note them on the survey. If they were a good manager as the previous poster talked about then no worries and the accolades will flow. Being a decent human and competent manager is all it takes for a team to respect them and the survey will reflect that. Answer honestly on the survey, I do! I’m not perfect and don’t expect my manager to be either, we all make mistakes but it’s how we handle the situation and treat the other person.
Whoever wrote the last post doesn't know a thing about the company! If it wasn't for the UNION technicians, there wouldn't be an ATT! We are skilled at what we do even if most management people think is very little, however, the ones that do work hard have built a backbone for this company's network that provides customer services that are very appreciated by most! This network and infrastructure didn't just appear on its own! It was built out through hard work of talented and knowledgeable union personnel! It wasn't purchased already built, either! It was constructed by technicians all over the country and so what if we're union! We're only earning the money we deserve to be earning!
Not surprised to see the typical union response already. Complain about management , throw everybody under the bus, pi-s on the way the company runs its business, yada, yada, yada. If you believe even a little bit of the arrogant nonsense union people spew, you are just as narrow-minded, self-centered and useless as they are. They are professional liars by nature. That is the only true skill they possess. Once you get past all the caterwauling and lying, you realize just how much damage they are doing to the company as a whole.
I’ve been brutally honest on nearly all my surveys, mostly constructive criticism with occasionally throwing my manager and their boss under the bus as needed. This is the one report all VP and lower hate. They have to come with “action plans” on how to address the employees issues and concerns and answer to why their employees are disgruntled. Haven’t been retaliated against in 25 years and I only do this when appropriate because several of my managers over the years have been good managers and decent human beings and my survey reflects that with praises.
By being honest It helps to mute the toxic micromanagers that try to create their own narcissistic fiefdom because they know they will be reported on in the next survey. Each has to do what they feel is right for them but this has worked for me and I love seeing their faces while they have beg for everyone to participate in the survey. It’s even more satisfying when they get the results and we get to see and hear their plan of action to correct their failings.
Bad move. Remember everything is awesome and move along. Nothing good comes from the honest feedback of your bosses. You’ll just be labeled a malcontent. Answers are not anonymous. They can figure it out pretty easily.
The only thing that ever happened when there were a bunch of us that gave mediocre evaluations was more useless work for us. Instead of leadership having to change, we got more stupid courses to take, or more committees to waste time on, which we all know low level managers have zero real input and control.
Hope you're ready to look for work in this economy. You think responses are truly anonymous?
Yes. Poorly.