Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

I guess I have to agree with @5uwh, the ADEA (Age Discrimination Employment Act) was signed in by President Johnson, 1967 but never had any teeth. Companies large and small learned how to circumvent that law quickly.

We all see things from the hill we stand on. Age discrimination was an unspoken understanding, 25-30 years ago, and we ignored it until five years ago when it suddenly got a lot more real. Those of you that are much younger, you will start to pay closer attention as you close in on retirement no matter which company you’re working for, so pay close attention to the smoke signals.

Good luck.

@4wex, with respect, I need to have you re-focus on what I said and the timeline period of when. “When I was 35” (I was already an eight yr vet with T) and “I’m now 63” and 28 years ago, or 1991, was a hugely different time and “age discrimination” wasn’t even an actionable verb back then.

Lay-offs, in the 90s, were commonplace and when they came to get us it wasn’t the 30-40 something (like me) that got tagged....it was the 55-65. They made more money than I did, medical was more costly because chances were higher that they were married with kids, have a spouse or child with a medical condition, and of course, they needed to fund their pensions.....back then, many of us were unmarried and no kids, we mostly drew a pass. But they came at the older T’s long and hard.

The “Age Discrimination In Employment Act” is a wonderful thing to read, but ask the ex Call Center employées how that worked out for them when their voices were replaced by new voices from India and the Philippines at one third the cost, no pension and cheaper medical, if that!

Companies are savvy in how to side step, what they know to be a discriminatory maneuver, and not get caught.....T is no different. “Statistics” And “Math” you might have a point, except they were used by AT&T back then, as today, to return money to their pockets and shorten our careers!

@ZduBZGi-nlc You say the age ceiling exists, but yet cite as evidence only people working there til over 60? It would seem just statistically, the more years you are with a company, the more opportunities you have to be laid off just by math. The longer you've been in one job, the more likely that job is going to not be needed at some point. Conversely, if you just started with the company, you are likely starting in an area that is growing, so why would they be looking to release you anytime soon? Add to that most the work force at AT&T is in their 40's or older, with the fact age discrimination is defined as discrimination against people age 40 and older. By definition, you are going to claim age discrimination for most the people who are laid off, even if the did it by random draw.

Pension, pension, pension

End of story

@1bfk, to coin a phrase....”You’re a Hoot!” Right now I’m tryin’ to fathom all the accumulated skills & knowledge I would have to lose, over 30 plus years, so I could do the work of a 25 year old....wow, what a test that would be.

But if you don’t mind I would like to give it a shot.....according to you, if I’m that 25 year old and probably recently hired by AT&T , I should be asking....”Where’s the Coffee Maker?”

Ok, sure I think I could do that! Can I stay? I will gladly share my tube of Bengay! It doesn’t smell much, honest!

Wait.....I do believe that the thought of Karma is bringing that smile back.....

There is an ATT Retiree Issues facebook group you can join.

Why isn't there an AT&T layoff and retirenent web site ran by former AT&T retired employees?

Nothing but excuses. If you can’t do the job like a 25 year old then it’s time for you to move on.

typical att gutless rich pansy boys can't take the truth the facts about how they run the company and how they screw the employees who helped make it what it was so they can go and buy new shiny toys to make them even more gutless rich pansy boys.

to all the asset management trolls who remove posts or try to defend the company don't worry you aren't safe either just wait till you get close to 55 and if you have a pension they will make life miserable for you too.

hey but now worries it is all good because it is just business.

man I have seen people approaching 55 get targeted. I guess since they increase the amount that gets put in your pension we all know why now.

why did the post about surplus help get deleted. anything helpful on this site gets deleted. makes you wonder who is running this site.

Corpocracy is here, to stay! get used to it. sooner or later you will be impacted and It is not matter of hope

I was targeted as I approached 55. they made life so miserable I hated going to work everyday.

When I was thirty-five I watched a co-worker, then in his mid fifties, dodge and constantly worry about AT&T’s layoffs until his time came due at age 60. In the next 28 years I came to understand the age ceiling, though invisible and rarely spoken of, does exist.

I’m now 63, I suspect @ZduBZGi-efc is a middle of the road mid-thirties with a less then average I.Q. since his delight seems to be getting his 15 seconds of fame tearing down other people, older ones at that!

His ignorance brought on a small smile, and as I was rubbing on my “Bengay” (before driving into the office to sit next to him) I thought....Does Karma really exist? Then a bigger smile hit me when I thought....How many different jobs has this Mental Giant held already to this point and how many more by the time he hits 55-60?

Buckle up Grasshopper, your journey has only just begun....and if I don’t see you after the next round of layoffs, I will remember you as the company id--t, every company has them....and if it’s me that got the Heave Ho, I have taken the Severance pkg and Unemployment and drifted into the sunset!

Get rid of these old people. I’m tired of smelling Bengay in the office !