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It's a dying business. If they cut costs, it will survive a little longer than otherwise. The union can choose between a small number of grossly overpaid jobs, or a larger number of merely good jobs. I think we all know which way they will go...
Verizon has more cell phone customers than any company in America, and expanding internet and fiber optic TV services and hauled in 2.5 billion in profits last year. Profitability has been down but they are hardly "dying".
While this stuff might be understandable for a company in trouble such as GM or Delta Airlines were last year, I fail to see any logic in a company that made $3 billion in profit last year making such demands from its workers..
When they are in trouble you will be complaining it was poor management for not adressing these issues when they could. If GM had addressed them when they were raking in the dough they wouldn't have needed a bailout.
But then I heard that the company was actually trying to do pretty draconian things to the work force including making them pay $3000 a year in premiums and deductibles for insurance that they now get for free.
Gosh, wouldn't we all like free health care?
I'd say $250/month is a GREAT deal.
More union greed.
Fire them all - I'm sure there are plenty of people that would be happy with the work AND benefits offered.
From free health care to $3000 premiums and deductibles is an extreme jump, wouldn't you say?
And all those civil service laws that protect workers... where do you think the basis for those came from? Union workers fighting for decent working conditions and pay over the last 120 years. The American Dream is disappearing, is it a coincidence that unions have been villified at the same time?
$3,000 a year for premiums is only $250 a month. I don't see a problem.
When I heard this morning that thousands of Verizon employees went on strike, my first thought was that they must be insane. Who with any sanity would dare go on strike in this economy? I thought, with 9% unemployment and people begging for even part time jobs, to do such a thing would be just absolutely crazy. But then I heard that the company was actually trying to do pretty draconian things to the work force including making them pay $3000 a year in premiums and deductibles for insurance that they now get for free. While free medical and dental is probably pretty liberal and few people get it free, a $3000 deductible is pretty draconian. And the company also wants give backs of 2 holidays a year, give ups of job security and pay raises tied only to a supervisor's review, elimination of the pension plan and other stuff. While this stuff might be understandable for a company in trouble such as GM or Delta Airlines were last year, I fail to see any logic in a company that made $3 billion in profit last year making such demands from its workers. Some of the things the company wants are reasonable but most of this is quite unreasonable. It is like they want to take advantage of the bad economy to try to break the union. I don't know where people come down on this but when you see these guys working in manholes and on poles in all kinds of bad weather doing what appears to be a fairly dangerous job, I just sort of feel that their pay is well earned. It is not a job I would want to do.
I was a member of the CWA and a Steward many years ago. This union is a joke.
Last edited by Quick Enough; 08-07-2011 at 07:27 PM..
I would assume that the hardwired business is a dying business for a variety of reasons. Increased use of cell phones, increased competition from cable etc. I am sure some business lines of Verizon are more profitable than others. The profitability of an organization is really irrelevant, (except if they simply can't afford to pay wages) the more important measure is what is the market willing to pay these folks.
This is what the unionized workers do. It would be instructive to see how their non unionized counterparts are compensated.
"The striking workers install, maintain and repair land line phones and Verizon’s FiOS television and Internet service from Virginia to Massachusetts."
Verizon sold a lot it's land line business to Frontier.
"Verizon Communications on Wednesday took another step away from its century-old heritage as a company that provides telephone service over copper wires. It agreed to sell divisions that offer service to 4.8 million phone lines in 14 states to Frontier Communications for $3.3 billion in cash and $5.2 billion in Frontier stock." Frontier to Buy Verizon Lines for $8.5 Billion - NYTimes.com
Verizon sold a lot it's land line business to Frontier.
"Verizon Communications on Wednesday took another step away from its century-old heritage as a company that provides telephone service over copper wires. It agreed to sell divisions that offer service to 4.8 million phone lines in 14 states to Frontier Communications for $3.3 billion in cash and $5.2 billion in Frontier stock." Frontier to Buy Verizon Lines for $8.5 Billion - NYTimes.com
It looks as if that business line isn't very important to them. It seems as if the strikers are in a poor bargaining position.
From your link.
"The local phone business, in fact, has been contracting quickly as customers shift to phone service offered by cable companies or simply to using their cellphones. Verizon, which will have 30.3 million phone lines left after the deal, lost 10.2 percent of its lines last year in the regions it is selling. Frontier, by contrast, lost only 7.2 percent of its lines."
I would assume that the hardwired business is a dying business for a variety of reasons. Increased use of cell phones, increased competition from cable etc. I am sure some business lines of Verizon are more profitable than others. The profitability of an organization is really irrelevant, (except if they simply can't afford to pay wages) the more important measure is what is the market willing to pay these folks.
This is what the unionized workers do. It would be instructive to see how their non unionized counterparts are compensated.
"The striking workers install, maintain and repair land line phones and Verizon’s FiOS television and Internet service from Virginia to Massachusetts."
Do you really thing that hardwired is dying? Let's see.. Do you use a cell phone? Do you REALLY think you are wireless all the way the the other person's phone?
Have you ever called your local plumber? What about someone to fix your AC? You don't think they have an office with LANDLINE phones? What about your local bank or credit union?
3000$ was not the deductable, it's what they are asking the workers to contribute towards the insurance. Mine is a bit over $140 a paycheck, for med/dental/life insurance. That's over $3600 a year.
Quote:
Verizon said its benefits would remain "near the top of those offered by comparable companies" even with the concessions demanded, CNN reports. The company said that its unionized employees are well paid, with many field technicians earning more than $100,000 a year, including overtime, with an additional $50,000 in benefits, the New York Times reports. But union officials counter that the field technicians and call center workers generally earn $60,000 to $77,000 before overtime and that benefits come to well under $50,000 a year.
There's a LOT of people out there willing to work for ½ of those numbers, and can make a GOOD living doing so.
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really?
