Let me start by saying I was one of the lucky ones. I started in 1980 and did 39 years. The company I began with was compassionate and customer focused. Do not get me wrong I had tough times. I was part timed for 6 months in 1984 because of the split. I was night shift for 15 years when I started. The one thing I did have was movement to better paying jobs. I went from Warehouse Operator to a Network Engineer. I was allowed most my tuition to be paid unlike today. I retired in 2018 with health care and good pay. I retired to finish my astrophysics degree. I now work with a private space company. I know today is a different company but for the good years and great people I worked with Thank You 😆
19 replies (most recent on top)
One word “chyna” that’s how America lost its way.
It’s interesting to hear the stories of folks that came and went. All I can say is all of you that got that many years and a pension are the last of the era. For all us newer and younger folks, there is no pension and we will likely not make 5-10 years if we are even lucky. Gone are the days of 20 and 30+ years of service. Don’t blame the younger generations, it’s really not their fault. They didn’t create the current environment. Just as the older generations before you probably thought you were all selfish, greedy and lazy. But, they at least left you with a company you could work at until you retire and a pension to go with it. You really should pity the younger folks for they got nothing.
I'm an old fart who retired last year after 40+. Started at NJ Bell and somehow survived until I got to the new AT&T (SBC) and the "stellar" management that came along with it. If you have any interest in post-divestiture telecom, do some googling of Bernie Ebbers (Worldcom CEO who should have been allowed to croak in prison), Jack Grubman, Joe Perrone of Global Crossing and of course, John Legere, the twenty year veteran of AT&T who went on to screw over his former employer as the CEO of Global Crossing and later T-Mobile. Fascinating reading about an era of madness and greed in the telecom industry.
I had a good experience for the most part, the separation was a little rough because of COVID etc. The Bell System is a tough love system, the idea if you just show up on time is no longer true. The sales environment has a lot of work needed to be done. The compensation plan is no longer rich or fat. It is a struggle to get to 90%. The customers hate at&t unless coached up to answer the NPS rating and rantings correctly. NPS is a lie. The sales people who are called the "team leader" are NOT part of the Team Award (Yes as in zero.) The idea of how to manage accounts is so inaccurate, account movement takes an act of congress. Sales people step around adjustment and service issues because of the huge impact it will have on results. Sales people are left sending notes to
black hole" emails and websites that are based on logic that does not support the customer. I have faith that this last layoff will work on the issues above. It is still a fine company just not for the customers.
@1aoh - um, your facts are jumbled.... what got Armstrong in trouble was he way overpaid for each cable company and when they closed on there last cable company they were out of cash and in danger of not meeting payroll. That is when they announced the tri-vestiture and Armstrong was slated to lead the new cable company (now Comcast...) and was fired by Comcast board the day they became a separate company...
I was at T when Armstrong was the leader, and would like to correct some facts.
I think Amrstrong had the correct strategy.
He bought up cable properties, knowing that internet was growing and twisted pair could not complete with cable. Bought McCaw Cellular to get T into the cell market
What got him is that the mo–ns in the Board of Misdirectors could not figure out how WorldCom was making so much more profit than T. Well they were id–ts and fire Armstrong. Sold off all the cable assets to Roberts at Comcast. Sold off McCaw and divested all the cell service. Then the mo–n found out Bernie Ebbers was a total fraud and running the biggest scam in American history.
If the Board was not so stupid and let Amstrong keep going, history would have been very different and T would not have been absorbed into SBC. Perhaps Ratty and Stinky would now be cleaning public toilets instead!
lots of employees marrying each other back then.
Started in 1979. A 6 month temp in accounting. I was 18.
Got kept on, transferred to lineman.
Then Installation, locates, repair, cable repair, Air pressure, and finally Specials.
Traveled the country doing storm damage.
Met my wife there..she started in 1975.
She Sipped after 23 yrs to raise our kids. She gets a pension.
I retired in 2017 with 38 yrs. I get a pension.
The company has changed, but so have the employees.
Neither for the better.
Just look at us "old timers" posts vs. the newbies.
OP almost mirrors my origins with the company. I also began my career in 1980 as a warehouse operator right out of high school and have been technician since 1995. Just recently hit the 40 year mark It’s been a long arduous road and things sure have changed over the years and not for the better
Uh, thanks for posting this story?
Here is my .02. I started under the original SBC back in 1992. I was in mobility. I realize things will change as consumer tastes, regulations, competition changes. But what I have seen from 2015 to now is not what I hav seen in the earlier SBC days. Although Stephenson and many of his senior management came from the SBC side, they seem to have adopted the ATT of the 2004/2005 failure mentality that caused AT&T to be eventually bought by SBC. They have also done some of the same bad moves that Mike Armstrong did in the 1990s that eventually led to original AT&T decline.
Maybe it was inevitable since the local phone markets being deregulated and consumer behavior changing resulting in more pressure on earnings. All I can see is AT&T (not SBC) has become a shadow of itself. Back in the early 2000's SBC had no debt. The leader that was in charge of finance that led to that result? Randall Stephenson. Yet under Stephenson, ATT has become the largest non financial company debtor. God help the people left if they default on some or all of this debt. It will not be pretty. I am kinda glad I am out despite my current anxiety on finding a job in the era of Covid19
I agree I came in on March 12, 1979, my husband had started the year before as a service order typist and me a mailroom clerk, but we were so happy - we could have benefits and take care of our children. he moved up to Installation and I left the worst call center in history week, no union, and no leadership. He passed away in 2004 but I made it and I don't ever want to go back. We were young and proud though. South Central Bell, Bell South, AT&T. These people don't have a clue.
I also just retired and started before cordless phones, cell phones and the Bell Boy was new (pager) . One key thing that worked for me was listening to fellow employees that gave me insight on how to keep an open mind and listen to experience. Occasionally I would learn something that made my job more satisfying and let me skip a few screw ups. Good luck to you all.
The jeoulous imbecile that posted reply #6 is a clueless goof! At least this guy, OP got to leave on his terms with dignity intact! Presumably, you didn’t, hence the anger in your reply...just let it out, dude! We’re all adults here, I think! If you need a good cry, have at it!
This OP is a dinosaur. He worked at AT&T when the Shuttle first launch, when the compact Mac was first introduced in 1984, John Lennon was probably still alive and living in NY at the time, The Great Reagan was running the country, we were still worried about WWIII and nuclear war. Hunter was still running on TV. We had AirWolf, Knight Rider, and so on. Dude this guy has been around.
I left att and have no regrets either. att is a cesspool infectious disease.
Way to go...Cheers to you and the good ole days in ATT! I started in 1985 and am still with T and they are forcing me to leave by doing various unpleasant things I’d rather not disclose. Yes, indeed it was a great place to work, but not so much these days! It has been a 35 year roller coaster ride, but I managed to survive and by the looks of it will continue to remain employed. Why, I can’t explain because there’s very little work, but somebody seems to think all of us are a critical element on the path forward! With the management teams T has in place at all levels, God help this company!
Way to go...Cheers to you and the good ole days in ATT! I started in 1985 and am still with T and they are forcing me to leave by doing various unpleasant things I’d rather not disclose. Yes, indeed it was a great place to work, but not so much these days! It has been a 35 year roller coaster ride, but I managed to survive and by the looks of it will continue to remain employed. Why, I can’t explain because there’s very little work, but somebody seems to think all of us are a critical element on the path forward! With the management teams T has in place at all levels, God help this company!
That is a great story, and a great career. That’s the way America used to be. Work hard, do the right thing, have a dream, and things worked out. How the hell did we lose our way? We are truly living in Clown World these days.