These surplussed 38-40 union craft jobs in Texas are now being transferred to the Access FTTx Tac group which are managers, Where are D6 union officers? They should be fighting for these jobs!! They are also developing software tools for CO techs to work and clear alarms without the need to call the center. Good luck!
I know the managers in this Access FTTx Tac group aren’t happy about the extra work but have to smile and head bob to welcome the new opportunity.
Just the start to finally get some of the staff to earn their pay and find out what craft has been dealing with for years.
The most recent huddle meeting for CNIO states that CO techs are to call the Access FTTx Tac group for support starting April first, the Uverse TRC is closed March 31. They also stated they are developing software support tools for the CO techs to be able to diagnose and clear alarms on their own. Updates coming soon.
It’s already been reported in the thread but I’m just corroborating those posts.
Here in CWA District 3, the Old Bellsouth territory (9 - SE states) like clockwork 4x a year the surplus announcement with details is posted every quarter on the 15th day prior to the start of a new quarter. March 15, June 15, Sept. 15 and Dec. 15. It’s posted with information whether a surplus happens or not.
It should be the same in all the other districts.
@mez+1lUNX0Gm Local Union President,
I’m glad you are reaching out to get facts, Please! follow up with your peers to figure out why this wasn’t widely known or disclosed in the quarterly surplus/layoff announcements. Members in Texas need to reach out to your local union President too, your group could be next!
These positions were under a contract (NIC) and maybe the company did it correctly but it’s very concerning that negotiated union positions are not protected and can be transitioned to non negotiated groups in the same district. This seems to be a Bellwether moment and needs to be investigated!
If possible, post something on this site when facts are known. It’s one of the few places we get news about other parts of the company around the country. Thanks!
The company execs has been pushing for years to shut down the regulated side of the business. They have been unsuccessful at the legislative level so next best is to upgrade network to unregulated networks and let the regulated to die on the vine. Thus legacy systems, services and customers have suffered by design.
I understand the push for newer technologies as they become viable but it should have been a seamless transition not the disaster it became. All due to Stephenson’s declaration at his ascendancy to CEO, he declared war on all legacy products and worked diligently to destroy them despite them, at that time was the largest company revenue stream. We are media, lol.
He ruined a cash cow, at the time no one thought about ditching their landlines/internet even though most people had a cellphone. It was a paid for transport system that had a built in rolling monthly revenue stream that everyone was used to paying and didn’t even think about until he targeted it. Sad!
Terrible business decision, who cares if it was older technology it payed the bills and people didn’t complain, slowly transitioning to a newer network would have been the right call.
NIC Contract vs Core is a joke. There are no "incentive" days to attract people. Sick days on Core used to be manager discretion, disability paid on Day 1, multiple occurrences avail before disciplinary action was taken, Floating/Personal holidays, etc. NOC Contract looked like a small pamphlet and the biggest incentive they used to have was an annual bonus that's been since, long gone. Most people didn't even know what they were losing switching contracts, because the the union didn't warn anyone or provide much insight when NIC was first established. So the whole abuse time, we did it to ourselves mantra is cr-p.
Most of the higher paying jobs under NIC are long gone because each group has a few smart/d-mb people, that want to prove their value by stepping on their peers and helping create automation scripts in order to make an attempt at getting into management. Unlike Core, under the NIC Contract, there are hardly ever any job openings for movement whether it be forward or backward, and it's almost impossible to get back to Core. So management is usually the next step up or out. Uverse TRC was automated for the sake of saving a few extra dollars, by getting rid of a non profit generating department. Why continue to pay a group of bargained for, all over the age of 40, tenured, pension/401k/benefit having people, when I can contract the work out to other people? All while making their old teammates help both do the work and test the automation. Those same people may have been prodded to help shut down Uverse TRC, but they were rewarded. They won't get put on the chopping block just yet for the next round or manager layoffs, they got got title changes, promotions, and more money. Fttx tac needed a larger head count for their own work they couldn't keep up with. Instead of opening those jobs to qualified people within the company, they posted jobs externally online and offered them up to $68 an hour. So Fttx can be mad about the increase in work and having to train newbies, but they still have a job, will get more money and that bonus again, and still won't be willing to pick up a phone to assist anyone because phone calls are beneath them.
I still know some areas that haven't had working service for weeks since all.of this happened. Customers out of service and a company that doesn't care.
I agree that they were helpful but if the company wants to reduce our support groups then I’ll wait as long as it takes and document it in osslog. Efficiency will drop but not my issue, doing the best I can with lack of support.
You are right. I'm the one that said I won't wait 10 minutes to speak to someone. Sitting on the phone listening that horrible on hold music pays the same as driving to one of the half dozen Central Offices I have to cover. Thanks for the new perspective. OSSLOG is my new friend.
Location is Las Colinas in Irving, TX
This is the National Internet Contract (NIC) and the job title is Surveillance Tech. It was a 24x7 NOC for Uverse, these were non management jobs now being done by management group as stated in original post.
I work in that office in Las Colinas. I witnessed the group having their “final meal” together this week.
There is also a huge push to move many groups to vendor services. This is just the beginning.
By year end repetitive tasks and call centers will either be vended or AI. AT&T is done working with employees that abuse attendance and sick days. They offered many of the “sick days” and “caregiver days “ as a way to attract talent. Instead they learned the human nature of the employees to take and take.
We did it to ourselves. Remember that next time you read some BS about how “they can’t make me return to the office “.
In district 6 the folks in appendix j were the the premise technicians. In other districts they are sometimes called wire technicians I believe. However they are also bargained employees in the union.
I am in district 4 of the union... and if the company played it similar in district 6, the uverse umbrella DID NOT have the same contract as the CORE positions... the company fought HARD to actually have uverse not even be a union job at all! They wanted only contracted /non union options. The union fought , and they were able to get an APPENDIX dedicated to uverse jobs. Under the appendix, they didn't have the same provisions as the core contract unfortunately.
Long hold time? Use a speaker phone while working on other tasks in the background.
Long call wait times??? You are getting paid to do nothing but wait That’s easy money. Why complain? Just code your time to that.
There is usually an announcement when there is any kind of surplus. What are the job titles and their location? Are you sure they are bargained positions? I only say that as the president of a local union in district 6. Years ago we were getting surplus notifications every 90 days.
Cover has been blown wide open of what the future holds for bargained for employees . Jobs being reassigned to management. Is this what bargained for employees can look forward to?
Unless your the one touching the equipment software is coming for your job.
The needs of the business changed. No issue here.
If they are serious about transformative cost reductions then the four levels of VP command & control structure needs collapsed too. Actual reductions not just shuffling chairs and titles around. Ofc doing it strategically and inquiring to see those interested in retirement.
I agree that they were helpful but if the company wants to reduce our support groups then I’ll wait as long as it takes and document it in osslog. Efficiency will drop but not my issue, doing the best I can with lack of support.
Uverse TRC surveillance was always very helpful. As a CO tech, if I get a trouble ticket, I will not wait 10 minutes on the phone to speak to someone. I have other things to tend to.
It appears the latest trend is to collapse the 1st line support structure. I for one am tired of long wait times on chat and calls, it’s the new normal. The other issue is trying to communicate or understand the overseas support centers. Debt has a price!