We are down to less than 1/3rd the amount of techs we had five years ago. We're a skeleton crew. A tech was told by mgmt that we either keep up or they'll bring contractors in. We probably can't keep up too long. No OT no on call pay. I guess it's not that hard to see what the plan is and method to get there.
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What's scarier is that our installation crew of about 15, has dwindled down to about 12 techs because some of the new young guys quit or transferred. Of those 12, 6 are on benefits so there are never more than 6 installers working, and there isn't enough work for them...hasn't been for months.
I heard CenturyLink is having another force reduction September 2019. Has anyone else heard this.
Century-unlinked or should I say Un-Level 3, is trying to solve their issues by looking to take away every thing they can from the technician. Yet where are the sacrifices from upper (non)management? If they were smart they would fix the endless broken processes INSIDE THE COMPANY. The processes rarely even work and create confusion and lack of confidence for customers and technicians alike and produce loss of cuistomers. This happens and continues to happen daily, every day, I have people come up to me all the time and in one way or another tell me they hate my company and proceed to tell me legitimate reasons why . Customers do not want to purchase their technology from a technology company that cannot even use their own technology to process out product. This cannot sustain in my opinion with any positive results that I can see, especially in a social media world.
"If the company is doing that and I know they look for every loophole they can find to get around it then it needs to be brought to your locals attention and they need to resolve the issue. They try it here also and we have to go thru the proper procedures to resolve it. It really ticks the local management off but it is a CONTRACT that BOTH sides have agreed upon. It’s not optional. Occasionally it’s just bringing it to their attention and occasionally attorneys have to be brought in. And sometimes the company is right. But after an issue is resolved both sides understand the contract better."
Yes if they get caught, even then they repeat again and again, they would rather arbitrate and have Technicians sit in trucks and let contractors learn what they are doing. Remember they can control area of dispatch and send inside guys one direction and Contractors somewhere else. Why it takes a while to catch them and usually by happen chance or a slip of the tongue somewhere.
Your making a huge assumption, the Company has to follow that contract also and the Union can't be every place and every where to make sure they are honest. History has shown the Company routinely breaks these provisions till they get caught.
If the company is doing that and I know they look for every loophole they can find to get around it then it needs to be brought to your locals attention and they need to resolve the issue. They try it here also and we have to go thru the proper procedures to resolve it. It really ticks the local management off but it is a CONTRACT that BOTH sides have agreed upon. It’s not optional. Occasionally it’s just bringing it to their attention and occasionally attorneys have to be brought in. And sometimes the company is right. But after an issue is resolved both sides understand the contract better.
"Under union contracts there can only be a certain percentage of work contracted. So the keep up or else doesn’t really apply. If the workload is up the. It they have to hire quality help (company employees/union members) to do the work. The contractors (non union employees) for a large part do sub par work with awful quality. The ones who do good work are often hired by the company into union jobs and usually receive a pay increase. If you don’t hear from at least one person a day that they will never let another contractor in their house the you must not have talked to any customers. I know it’s the same for non represented company employees as well. If you do not work for Centurylink then you have no dog on the fight and do not care about the well being of the company. So if you are a true Centurylink employee then you should hope we all do well wether we are represented or not.
Your making a huge assumption, the Company has to follow that contract also and the Union can't be every place and every where to make sure they are honest. History has shown the Company routinely breaks these provisions till they get caught.
no tech's to take call-out this weekend in S Florida. SRO said "no resources are available" Monday will be a nightmare.
Under union contracts there can only be a certain percentage of work contracted. So the keep up or else doesn’t really apply. If the workload is up the. It they have to hire quality help (company employees/union members) to do the work. The contractors (non union employees) for a large part do sub par work with awful quality. The ones who do good work are often hired by the company into union jobs and usually receive a pay increase. If you don’t hear from at least one person a day that they will never let another contractor in their house the you must not have talked to any customers. I know it’s the same for non represented company employees as well. If you do not work for Centurylink then you have no dog on the fight and do not care about the well being of the company. So if you are a true Centurylink employee then you should hope we all do well wether we are represented or not.
Why is it that non union members seem to attack union members out of no where? Unions brought you weekends and paid time off as well as paid holidays. There are just as many lazy union employees as there are lazy non union employees. I keep seeing on the board that non union members are making more than union members. In that case wouldn’t a union raise help us all out?
"A response to you
On what side of the house? I would bet your Non represented as well. or have been here less then 10 years
My guess you are a union rep?
I find it sort of odd your statement implies the Union does not care what happens to anyone with 10 years or less , can you please explain the meaning in that statement"
No I am not a Union Rep, ten years or less, it really is longer more like 19 years, that's when they started taking Pensions and other Benefits away per contracts, they also started to push the lies of bring back off shore jobs and began the relocate of Call Centers everywhere to as they say get a more economical workforce. The constant turnover and layoffs have hurt in the Union has a lot less Senior members involved and the education of the Membership has been little to none, that's on the Union granted, they are not the visible presence that they once were.
The Current workforce of 10 years or so is the last big wave of hire's and the ones that have come in with the least benefits and Union activity, I can see where they feel there is no representation due to a ghost representation of the Union. I can only speak for my area but they surplused all the High officers and many Stewards a couple years back and I personally think the people in place are still fining their way so to speak. Also with Merger's and issues with dealing with new company people it has created a back log of issues.
A response to you
On what side of the house? I would bet your Non represented as well. or have been here less then 10 years
My guess you are a union rep?
I find it sort of odd your statement implies the Union does not care what happens to anyone with 10 years or less , can you please explain the meaning in that statement
You lose your bet I&R and maintenance 21 years that is how I know your union is worthless it is only good for the techs that need it to save their job which they should have lost years ago
We have more work than people. Speak for your own area.
End of the second quarter and before the next wave of jobs in August is always a down turn since we are merger happy, they hold back jobs and budget to cut more people, say they have more man power then work. Come August all of a sudden things get real busy until mid November when the cycle repeats.
"There is only 1/3 the customers from 5 years ago and it’s the slowest time of the year summer so make sense as for no on call pay don’t do it
And to super union guy no I am not a troll or management just I&R tech"
On what side of the house? I would bet your Non represented as well. or have been here less then 10 years.
I agree summer slowest time here in Florida too hot guys off board some people think it’s busy when they have to do 3 jobs
Summer isn't the slowest time. That doesnt make sense.
Summer is here in Vegas working futures at noon always has been these people only looking for something to cry about
Summer is the slowest time of the year? Where do you work?....
There is only 1/3 the customers from 5 years ago and it’s the slowest time of the year summer so make sense as for no on call pay don’t do it
And to super union guy no I am not a troll or management just I&R tech