Thread regarding Windstream Corp. layoffs

In response to Outside plant is dying....yes copper is going away in favor of fiber but not due to thermal stability or less maintenance reasons.. Your reply sounds like Sales Person Speak with no technical knowledge. Also Lineman should be working with fiber for decades or they retired decades ago.

The long term need isn't there. We will replace the outside plant over time with fiber. It has more thermal stability and requires less maintenance compared to copper. If we have more fiber and less copper the need for support isn't there. As technology and CO's migrate away the maintenance will be much easier. It's time to upskill and look into something else long term.

Not sure I understand the point of this post. However here is something to think about based on economic changes planned in DC.
Existing Federal Minimum wage $7.25/ hour soon to be $15 / hour. Current Average lineman wage $28.69 / hour. Lineman is currently making close to 4 times minimum wage due to their acquired skill set and efforts, but will soon make less than 2 times minimum wage (wanted to make sure it was clear).
I predict the minimum wage worker not be anymore motivated than they are now. its not like the Employer can cut their wages. However, the motivation for all other workers such as the Lineman will drop since wages are relative to other's income within an economic system. Then if history provides a guide, companies will plead to open the gates for more H1B contract workers to fill in the gaps as Americans quit striving to advance their skills to become a Lineman (as an example) due to the declines in pay for expelling such efforts.

I have been with Windstream for many years and received a single 1.8% increase over the last 5 year period (did not even cover inflationary cost for a single year). Thus Windstream will not adjust the majority of workers pay to account for these profound shifts.

I am sure it will all work out....... some how.......for someone......somewhere. Good new is Lineman is a term soon to be banned for obvious reasons and will solve all problems in the world.

The site cut off some off some of the post I made. Here's linemen data:

"49-9052 Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers"

"Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics."

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499052.htm