Working Sunday, Again?!

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

I'm taking my "hour-long" lunch as I write this.  It's Saturday afternoon and I've been scheduled to work the weekend, again.  The full one, Sunday too!  It seems to be deja vu every other weekend, because I'm scheduled to work every other weekend.  of course, in this case it's more of a reality than a feeling, but I do feel it!

Yes, I've complained about it.  Of course I get just as much satisfaction of talking to the wall and just about as much interest.  My supervisor says that he has "emailed" the scheduling group and their responses have been; the computer did it, it was just his turn, it will all average out in the long run, and the most recent, we're investigating it.

It boggles my mind how a multi-Billion dollar company like AT&T, can't keep a simple schedule straight.  It ALMOST makes me think that my schedule is being purposefully tampered with.  Persecution can take many forms and be almost impossible to prove in today's digital world.  I've written before how "numbers" can be manipulated without anyone knowing, in order to target an individual.

IF it were to be a form of harassment or persecution, I'd really like to know which of my characteristics I was being punished for.  Is it just that I enjoy going to church on Sunday and worshiping the Creator of the universe?  Is is possibly my stand against the LGBT mafia or the abortion rights crowd?  My beliefs aren't a secret.  The Bible is clear which side is correct and that's where I am.  For the record, I'm also against murderers and gluttons, but they don't normally evangelize others to take part in their sins.

Is it the fact that I'm non-union due to not being represented properly?  You certainly don't believe I would throw away money in such a frivolous manner.  I do apologize for being a dues paying member of CWA for nearly thirty years.  Or, is it possible they just want the "old guy" to go away?  They may think if I'm aggravated enough, I'll retire.

Well, I'm not ready to declare that I'm being discriminated against, the proof just isn't there.  It looks like it, but looks can be deceiving.  It might be that the folks who send out the schedules don't ever read their emails sent from supervisors.  It could be their computer program is prone to make errors on a regular basis.  You know how funny some computers are about throwing in errors repeatedly, just for laughs.  Maybe the system was hacked by Chinese loyalists of China Bell, trying to unravel our families weekend activities, so we'll continue to be stressed and stay in turmoil.

Maybe so, who knows?  Gosh, I didn't even get into aliens from space, climate change, Hillary's email server, or the Grinch.  The possibilities are endless, but the real reason is probably very simple.  It was the Grinch, wasn't it?

Hey, I'd just like to have a few more weekends with "OFF" on the schedule.  Doesn't seem like too much to ask... 

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.

CWA - Missing in Action?

Okay, missing in action may be a little harsh for my Communication Workers of America.  I was in a grievance meeting this morning, over AT&T not calling me in on my “off” day.  I didn’t know the meeting was happening, the steward only knew five minutes ahead of time and didn’t have a copy of the grievance.  Thank goodness he had already agreed with management the day before,  that there was absolutely no contract violations or we would have been in real trouble-lol.

Since the union and company have agreed they did nothing wrong and since I agree to disagree(it is still America), here is the problem.  Last year, the company established a group called “first mile” at our work center in Chelsea, Alabama.  This group was originally(we were told) going to work defective cable sections where Uverse had problems.  It’s seventeen member facility technician crew would be working construction and engineering jobs all over the Jefferson/Shelby county area.  They have since been tasked with working repair in the demand load each day, mostly in the Birmingham area.

The frustration we installation/repair technicians at Chelsea have,  is that they work in our repair load and on our “off” days, we are not invited to participate.  Past practice with the union contract entitled “off” day technicians, “penalty pay” for not being invited, when others enter your working area.  The three grievances I had, plus the ones filed by others were thrown out this morning.  We just want to understand how things have changed.

The “first mile” group doesn’t have MSOC numbers to contend with.  No GPS on trucks, no “out the gate time” to worry with.  They enjoy a monday through friday 7:00a-3:30p schedule with almost a guaranteed weekend call-out.  They refer cable troubles back to us if they want to, with no “referral penalty”, like we have.  About twenty technicians were surplused recently and “bumping lower seniority technicians within 35 miles” has started.  “First mile” has been excluded from any surpluses and from other surplused technician bumping them.  They are like the “super posse” in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  Can’t be stopped, can’t touch them, excluded from normal rules, and financially well backed.

Our first level meeting this morning was taken over by the visiting second level.  He advised us that they were a flex force.  Go anywhere, do anything, in any area and we basically didn’t have any room to complain.

Now, I’m probably telling you more than I should, but I’ve always heard that once the Union was done with a grievance, it was ok to ask elsewhere.  So, I’m asking elsewhere.  I know that even veteran managers can make mistakes.  Union people can be mislead.  There are “true and Intent” meanings in the union contract that only real experts can explain.  I’m sure that there are interpretations of “equalization of overtime” that could read like a novel.  “Past practice” grievances are also interpretative challenging.  Hey, if it was easy, there wouldn’t be grievances nor arbitrators.
I know there are union people in our 22 state area who have come across this issue.  I just want to know what you did and how was it solved.  Is there something we’re missing here?  If this group has fallen into the contract loophole zone and have become true Jedi, able to wield amazing powers… then I just want to be one.  Thanks in advance for any email or comments.  It may be the little help you give here, will also solve the mystery elsewhere.  I’m even ok with bad news, I’ve gotten a good bit of that lately.

I like CWA Local 3317′s quote from an Asian proverb, “An army of sheep led by a lion will always defeat an army of Lions led by a sheep”.  But I’ll leave you with a Bible verse.  1 Timothy 5:18 comes to mind…”For the Scripture says, Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain, and the worker deserves his wages.”

Keep Verizon Workers in your Prayers

      Since August 7, 2011 Verizon employees have been working under their former contract.  Verizon refuses to negotiate fairly and responsibly.  It seems the media has forgotten about the ongoing struggle for a new and appropriate agreement.  Verizon workers deserve better treatment from such a corporate behemoth!  I watched the DVD sent to workers from Verizon.  It was a tearjerker from the Verizon side.  With the gazillion dollars they've made, how can they even pay their CEO?  Here is a CWA parody of the Verizon DVD.  It's funny and worth the click!  I only found one recent report from a news source here.
     I'll give you the low down on what the company wants and it is not funny at all!

• Eliminate pension accruals. For all current employees, your pension would be frozen as of December 31, 2011 and no new employee would receive a pension.
• Eliminate the Pension Cash-Out option.
• Modify the 401(k) Plan and reduce the Corporate Profit Sharing (CPS).
• Eliminate Sickness Death Benefits

Eliminate Job Security:

• Eliminate the Job Security Provisions for all employees.
• Eliminate the Movement of Work Protection
• Eliminate the 35 mile transfer provision
• Eliminate provisions in Force Adjustment Plan
• Eliminate New Contracting Initiatives agreement – which would allow them to increase the level of contracting

Eliminate Benefits:

Eliminate the current health care, prescription, dental, and vision plans and offer plans with high deductibles and premiums.

Active Employees – Annual

Premiums range from $1026 for single to $4580 family

And

Increase deductibles in network to $850 single - $ 2250 for family

Increase deductibles out of network to $1,000 for single - $3,000 for family

And

Increase Out of Pocket Maximum to $2,000 for single and $6,000 for family

And

Increase co-pays for specialist to $25.

And

Require co-pays for X-Rays and labs

And

Reduce most in network coverage from 100% to 80%

Reduce most out of network coverage from 100% to 60%

Retirees – Non Medicare Eligible – Annually

Premiums Range from $1026 for single to $4480 for family

And

Increase deductibles in network to $850 single - $ 2250 for family

Increase deductibles out of network to $1,000 for single - $3,000 for family

And

Increase Out of Pocket Maximum to $2,000 for single and $6,000 for family

And

Increase co-pays for specialist to $25.

And

Require co-pays for X-Rays and labs

And

Reduce most in network coverage from 100% to 80%

Reduce most out of network coverage from 100% to 60%

Retiree – Medicare Eligible Annually

Premiums range from $181 for single to $1970 for family

And

Increase deductibles in network to $850 single - $ 2250 for family

Increase deductibles out of network to $1,000 for single - $3,000 for family

And

Increase Out of Pocket Maximum to $2,000 for single and $6,000 for family

And

Increase co-pays for specialist to $25.

And

Require co-pays for X-Rays and labs

And

Reduce most in network coverage from 100% to 80%

Reduce most out of network coverage from 100% to 60%

Eliminate Other Benefits

• Eliminate accident disability benefits.
• Reduce Sick Time.
• Eliminate All Short Notice EWD’s.
• Eliminate the next Step Program 
• No wage increase

     Verizon needs to stop playing with the livelihood of their employees and offer a decent contract!  As Americans, we have outsourced enough jobs already.  The mood of the country is for better jobs with better pay!  Corporate greed is disgusting and Verizon is oozing with it.  They say profits are down... well, according to the Wall Street Journal, their revenues fell only 1.2% in the first six months of 2011 to 20.4 billion.  Shareholders earned three billion.  Need to cut employee benefits, I don't think so!
     To the Verizon workers, let me say your bothers/sisters at AT&T are behind you!  If you don't get a contract soon, we may join you in August for a family feud.  A teamed onslaught against corporate greed!  A nationwide strike would be a terrible thing but may be the only method to make both companies appreciate us.