Thread regarding CenturyLink layoffs

We were told we need to answer our phone and go out on anything that comes in between 8-5 7 days a week, but after hours no t-1s or anything

beneath 500 customers. We were also told we can conduct our personal affairs first but must take the callout later.

no one is answering for call out, and if you call the SRO he or she will say "there are no resources available"

"To the person saying not to count it as part of my compensation, you are wrong. The OnCall pay was part of my package. Now, whether you get called out is another story. Don’t count on callouts. They come and go. "

Oh there were lots of stuff in that package, as we say, The Checks in the mail and I won't do something in your mouth also. The second there was a merger that employment contract was put in the we are not that company file and do what we want. Besides call out pay and Over Time is always sporadic. If you bought a New House and or a Car thinking that OT and call out would be there then I have some Ocean side property in Death Valley for you also.

The company has already settled some FLSA suits, I don’t believe they will expect on call. That is the SRO’s who will be the scapegoats if they get another suit because of them. Document everything.

National Field Ops were told no on call pay but you still have to report. This is in AZ and NV and CA.

I think there are better ways to save money.

To the person saying not to count it as part of my compensation, you are wrong. The OnCall pay was part of my package. Now, whether you get called out is another story. Don’t count on callouts. They come and go.

Mostly come.

This company is crashing. When they get rid of Local, the crash will slow down. I don’t know if it will stop. There will be another merger.

SRO told us if we didn't take the call MRO told him he would have to take it. That ought to be good.

The SRO now has to have a call out list, they will call that person and if no answer have to move on to the next. Now if they go thru their areas Techs with no answer. I mean how can they tell if you seen the call or if your phone is on or charged or if you left it at the office to try and hold you accountable for something your not getting paid to do. What do they do next? I have not heard of secondary option?

SRO'S are going to be spending a lot of phone time on weekends going forward talking to air and or voicemails.

There is one aspect I was wondering about, if they have cancelled Pager duty do they have to negotiate with the Unions to bring it back and with conditions the Union is willing to accept. It was a big topic for a few contracts on how the company wanted to pay and what expectations were on response and availability.

don't answer it's the law , leave truck cell phone lap top at office / yard . go home unless you want overtime pay then answer they have to pay you when you work at least time and a half . all calls will be screened by manager too see if it can wait until normal business hours.

Las Vegas still has standby coverage paid every week

When you base your income on Overtime that's a mistake on your part.

Saying that it's a nice perk if you want it, but in our area you have OST and C.O. techs on different skill sets, Power, Switch, Hi cap and Pots. We used to have all three on a level of standby or pager duty until last week. Nobody is going to life a life of being on a leash not getting paid and expecting to drop what they are doing to run in and save the day, Sleeping nobody I would think is going to have their company phone on their night stand ready to jump up and run in for nothing at 3:00 in the morning.

This sends one message, customers don't matter, that 25 dollars per employee to be at the ready is to expensive. One plant battery failure and possible fire will wipe out any savings for years to come, losing a switch or a major piece of equipment on a Saturday night and not being able to contact anyone or have to wait till Monday like for a 911 circuit will make headlines they don't want and again fines that would wipe out savings for years or decades.

Sometimes you wonder how the people making these decisions survived life as long as they did let alone make it up a hierarchy of a company to make these choices.

Sounds like 4-12 and midnight to 8 tours will be added

Where are you working? We still get standby pay.

I leave my company phone in my work truck. Everyday. No pager no answer.

They can call all day long as much as they like. I ain’t answering it, unless they pay me to.

Scenario

Sorry boss just had a Beer / cold medicine, can't drive.

Wife takes call: He's not here went fishing, store, Peru you get the idea.

Basically: "If you have to carry a cellphone or pager, but can otherwise go where you wish and do what you want, your employer does not have to pay you for on-call time. On the other hand, if your employer places enough restrictions on you that your time is essentially no longer your own, you are entitled to be paid.you'll want to have a look at the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)-on call.