Don't Hate Your Union Either

 Hi, I'm an employee of AT&T and the following is my opinion...

This is just a short follow-up on my Don’t Hate Your Job blog.  Some of you may think I’ve become anti-union but that really isn’t the case.  It’s like the Democratic Party, they left me a long time ago.  I stayed with the union for as long as I could, thinking that they existed for my own good and that they just had a few bad habits.  Habits like supporting every political candidate that I was against and being militantly pro-choice.  Almost every good thread of value that holds our society together, they seem to oppose.  Their work as a protector of union employees seems to me, to have deteriorated at an alarming pace since AT&T purchased BellSouth.  The Union itself needs to do a little refocusing on its core values and what it was designed to accomplish.  I was certainly not the only disillusioned member.  I was sent a link for a CWA District 3: Petition of NO Confidence.  It’s a pretty interesting read with almost 3,000 supporters.  It wasn’t widely publicized or the numbers would have been much greater.

One Union member I know had to threaten Labor Board charges just to get a grievance accepted recently.  It should never get to that point in an organization that is designed to HELP employees!  It’s almost like the Red Cross refusing to give blood because they’re just too involved in sports.

My last blog mentioned how to leave the Union and I want to make sure I don’t mislead you in any way.  Another technician emailed me the procedure so here it is;

 Cancellation requests must be postmarked during the 10 day period preceding the expiration date of this Agreement and the same 10 day period each year during the life of this Agreement. Your opt-out period for 2012 was July 26 to August 4 of 2012.
CONTRACT: CWA District 3 BST Utility Operations
Section A.  Except as provided below, or as provided in Memorandum of Understanding between the parties, or as otherwise provided by applicable law, all cards may only be revoked during the 10 day period preceding the expiration date of this Agreement and the same 10 day period each year during the life of this Agreement.  Revocation of dues must be accomplished as follows (all conditions must be met):
*       Cancellation requests must be written or typed.
         *      Cancellation requests must be sent by certified mail.
         *      Cancellation requests must be postmarked during the 10 day period preceding the expiration date of this Agreement and the same 10 day period each year during the life of this Agreement. Your opt-out period for is 2012 period will be July 26 to August 4 of 2012.

Sometimes, an organization can only be corrected by the shock of bleeding away its members.  If you feel that way, then that information is what you need.  If you think an organization can be changed from within and want to work to that end, great!  I wish you the best, but I feel you have an uphill battle against overwhelming odds.

I will note also that AT&T announced September 28th that “wireline employees represented by the Communication Workers of America failed to ratify a three-year contract for the AT&T Southeast region”.  I consider that good news and a complete rejection of what CWA had negotiated for us.  I pray both sides will arrive at a fair solution.

Don't Hate Your Job

I am an employee of AT&T and the following is my opinion.

I haven’t written much lately about work, so I’ll bring you up to date.  I resigned from the Communication Workers of America (CWA) at the contract anniversary.  Just in case you didn’t know, that letter must be certified and received by the company and the union in the two weeks prior to that date.  I’ll even let you see what my letter stated;

This letter is to notify you of my separation from membership in the Communication Workers of America (CWA).  I wish for all payroll deductions of membership dues to cease immediately! 

 I was a member of the union for twenty-five years beginning in 1978.  I previously resigned membership over the issue of their political support for abortion.  I signed back on after the purchase of BellSouth by AT&T, but find little use for continued membership.

 The counseling entry that was placed in my personnel file on January 27, 2012 over MSOC results was removed July 27, 2012 by management.  My corresponding grievance was never scheduled nor met upon.   My “taxation without representation” will no longer be tolerated. 

The Union was absolutely no help, so it seemed silly to continue membership.  The dues I’ll be saving will be applied to the insurance that was negotiated for me in the new contract.  Thanks so much to CWA, because I know AT&T was having difficulty paying medical insurance with only $31.6 Billion in profit just in the first quarter of 2012!

I want to tell you a little about why I’ve slowed down on MSOC blogs when they are so popular.  The stress that all of AT&T employees feel these days is the same for me.  It seems everyone I talk to hates the management style being imposed on us.  A management source told me that they just want to get as much out of us as they can since they know things are winding down.  Well, when you set targets too high to reach and then punish employees when they can’t make it, the end doesn’t justify the means.  You are punishing good employees for nothing!

It became a tremendous burden for me because I’d always looked at my job as something I was good at.  But now, it didn’t matter what I did at work, I was basically unsatisfactory because I couldn’t leap tall buildings with a single bound!  I had to refocus because it was making me hate the company I worked for, and that just isn’t right!  I started working less overtime and picked up a couple of new hobbies.  I spent more time with family and became more involved at church.  In short, I stopped caring so much about making my numbers or trying to please management.  I still hate the fact that MSOC exists and love the fact that I am closer to retirement than yesterday!

After getting a phone call on a vacation day last week from a manager pointing a finger at something I’d done, I decided to bring the Burr back on line with a few changes.  I’ve allowed almost no comments to protect you from the company.  I know how vindictive they are so I felt shielding you was the best thing.  I think I’ve been a voice in the wilderness too long, some of you need to be out there too.  Beginning today, if you make a comment I’ll post it.  Remember to keep it clean and that I still have editing rights to make it family friendly.

I will also invite you to participate as a ghost writer or as a guest writer, if you have something that will help others that are going through difficult times.  You can drop me a line with any suggestions.
We are all just pilgrims here with an eternal home at stake.  Don’t do anything at work to damage what is waiting on you one day!  We do need to put faces and names on the numbers!  Let’s let AT&T see the hardship they place on people!  Employees are more than just a human resource!