anyone else's spouse on strike duty for Verizon?

[Anonymous]

how did unions deal with this in the 60's?

http://www.verizon.com/about/work/jobs/search?cf[jobfamily][]=NET#qref

Enter India

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: As someone who worked as a union negotiator for number of years, and dealt with my fair share of strikes and near strikes it is absolutely fascinating to watch it happen somewhere else .

As others have mentioned, Management cannot simply fire these employees - some of you may room remember when Reagan broke the Air traffic controller strike...

What I do you think is likely the case at Verizon given the years of experience I have enough space or two universal truths of unions : truth one is that union management does not have the best interest of their own union at heart. They have re-election in mind and the best path to that is to appear to be strong against management, even when doing so hurts the employees more than not. The second universal truth which many people don't like is that union wages and union benefits are generally significantly better and greater than those that would prevail in the open market. The third universal truth if there is one is that management and union staff simply do not get along - this thread is one such example the term scabs is already come out and we're only on page 2.

This leads to often absurd conversations in union negotiations. To share an example or two , I once approached a large union and offered their employees the opportunity to share hotel rooms when traveling . No obligation to do so but our data showed many did anyway and we wanted to reward that type of behavior as of course it saved the company money. I asked for nothing in return, simply an amendment to the existing rules stating that in addition to a fully paid hotel room the employee had the option at their own discretion to share a hotel room in which case each employee would receive $50 as a cost savings measure. I presented this to the union management who immediately and steadfastly declared it highway robbery and demanded $100 per person. I explained that our average hotel room cost was around $150, so two hotel would cost $300. Offering $200 plus the cost of the hote room would place the total cost at $350 - more than the cost of two seperate hotel rooms. I opened the books. They refused to even present the option to the union. Net result? 20% of the union continues to share rooms, we pay them nothing, the other 80% have no idea this was even ever presented. Who wins?

And the examples like this are numerous - employees demanding free massages after every shift, another union complaining that their healthcare dues which were locked in the early 1970s are now approaching $10 per paycheck for family PPO coverage... In many ways I have found unions to be disconnected from reality and left the industry as a result. You can't change what no one wants to change.

I wanted to read this post but it's too long and likely long winded. Can you give me a TLDR version with highlights?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As someone who worked as a union negotiator for number of years, and dealt with my fair share of strikes and near strikes it is absolutely fascinating to watch it happen somewhere else .

As others have mentioned, Management cannot simply fire these employees - some of you may room remember when Reagan broke the Air traffic controller strike...

What I do you think is likely the case at Verizon given the years of experience I have enough space or two universal truths of unions : truth one is that union management does not have the best interest of their own union at heart. They have re-election in mind and the best path to that is to appear to be strong against management, even when doing so hurts the employees more than not. The second universal truth which many people don't like is that union wages and union benefits are generally significantly better and greater than those that would prevail in the open market. The third universal truth if there is one is that management and union staff simply do not get along - this thread is one such example the term scabs is already come out and we're only on page 2.

This leads to often absurd conversations in union negotiations. To share an example or two , I once approached a large union and offered their employees the opportunity to share hotel rooms when traveling . No obligation to do so but our data showed many did anyway and we wanted to reward that type of behavior as of course it saved the company money. I asked for nothing in return, simply an amendment to the existing rules stating that in addition to a fully paid hotel room the employee had the option at their own discretion to share a hotel room in which case each employee would receive $50 as a cost savings measure. I presented this to the union management who immediately and steadfastly declared it highway robbery and demanded $100 per person. I explained that our average hotel room cost was around $150, so two hotel would cost $300. Offering $200 plus the cost of the hote room would place the total cost at $350 - more than the cost of two seperate hotel rooms. I opened the books. They refused to even present the option to the union. Net result? 20% of the union continues to share rooms, we pay them nothing, the other 80% have no idea this was even ever presented. Who wins?

And the examples like this are numerous - employees demanding free massages after every shift, another union complaining that their healthcare dues which were locked in the early 1970s are now approaching $10 per paycheck for family PPO coverage... In many ways I have found unions to be disconnected from reality and left the industry as a result. You can't change what no one wants to change.

I wanted to read this post but it's too long and likely long winded. Can you give me a TLDR version with highlights?

Unions suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they just fire the striking employees and hire new ones?

There is a legal right to strike in most cases:

https://www.nlrb.gov/strikes

The Verizon strike is legal. Firing striking workers is bad for all concerned which is why it is (usually) prohibited.

(When reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, that was because federal employees are prohibited from striking).

I don't see how it's bad. They're not doing their jobs, why should they be protected? So strange.

And yes, I was assaulted for crossing a picket line as a 20 year old intern, so I have personal issues with this whole thing. Unions are violent and protect slackers who don't want to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As someone who worked as a union negotiator for number of years, and dealt with my fair share of strikes and near strikes it is absolutely fascinating to watch it happen somewhere else .

As others have mentioned, Management cannot simply fire these employees - some of you may room remember when Reagan broke the Air traffic controller strike...

What I do you think is likely the case at Verizon given the years of experience I have enough space or two universal truths of unions : truth one is that union management does not have the best interest of their own union at heart. They have re-election in mind and the best path to that is to appear to be strong against management, even when doing so hurts the employees more than not. The second universal truth which many people don't like is that union wages and union benefits are generally significantly better and greater than those that would prevail in the open market. The third universal truth if there is one is that management and union staff simply do not get along - this thread is one such example the term scabs is already come out and we're only on page 2.

This leads to often absurd conversations in union negotiations. To share an example or two , I once approached a large union and offered their employees the opportunity to share hotel rooms when traveling . No obligation to do so but our data showed many did anyway and we wanted to reward that type of behavior as of course it saved the company money. I asked for nothing in return, simply an amendment to the existing rules stating that in addition to a fully paid hotel room the employee had the option at their own discretion to share a hotel room in which case each employee would receive $50 as a cost savings measure. I presented this to the union management who immediately and steadfastly declared it highway robbery and demanded $100 per person. I explained that our average hotel room cost was around $150, so two hotel would cost $300. Offering $200 plus the cost of the hote room would place the total cost at $350 - more than the cost of two seperate hotel rooms. I opened the books. They refused to even present the option to the union. Net result? 20% of the union continues to share rooms, we pay them nothing, the other 80% have no idea this was even ever presented. Who wins?

And the examples like this are numerous - employees demanding free massages after every shift, another union complaining that their healthcare dues which were locked in the early 1970s are now approaching $10 per paycheck for family PPO coverage... In many ways I have found unions to be disconnected from reality and left the industry as a result. You can't change what no one wants to change.

I wanted to read this post but it's too long and likely long winded. Can you give me a TLDR version with highlights?

Take the time. Best post on the thread.

[Anonymous]

Why don't the workers who don't like their conditions go get a different/better job like anyone else would have to do? Oh right, because they already have it damn good and likely wouldn't find a better situation.

Unions are outdated and BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they just fire the striking employees and hire new ones?

There is a legal right to strike in most cases:

https://www.nlrb.gov/strikes

The Verizon strike is legal. Firing striking workers is bad for all concerned which is why it is (usually) prohibited.

(When reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, that was because federal employees are prohibited from striking).

I don't see how it's bad. They're not doing their jobs, why should they be protected? So strange.

And yes, I was assaulted for crossing a picket line as a 20 year old intern, so I have personal issues with this whole thing. Unions are violent and protect slackers who don't want to work.

Because if you don't protect the only thing they can do then you don't protect collective action. I mean, we're not about to go wildcat here are we?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't the workers who don't like their conditions go get a different/better job like anyone else would have to do? Oh right, because they already have it damn good and likely wouldn't find a better situation.

Unions are outdated and BS.

Does this apply to OP's spouse? Too bad nobody's looking out for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's hard to feel a whole lot of sympathy for scabs and their families.

But OP is talking about management who is filling in for their striking workers, not scabs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As someone who worked as a union negotiator for number of years, and dealt with my fair share of strikes and near strikes it is absolutely fascinating to watch it happen somewhere else .

As others have mentioned, Management cannot simply fire these employees - some of you may room remember when Reagan broke the Air traffic controller strike...

What I do you think is likely the case at Verizon given the years of experience I have enough space or two universal truths of unions : truth one is that union management does not have the best interest of their own union at heart. They have re-election in mind and the best path to that is to appear to be strong against management, even when doing so hurts the employees more than not. The second universal truth which many people don't like is that union wages and union benefits are generally significantly better and greater than those that would prevail in the open market. The third universal truth if there is one is that management and union staff simply do not get along - this thread is one such example the term scabs is already come out and we're only on page 2.

This leads to often absurd conversations in union negotiations. To share an example or two , I once approached a large union and offered their employees the opportunity to share hotel rooms when traveling . No obligation to do so but our data showed many did anyway and we wanted to reward that type of behavior as of course it saved the company money. I asked for nothing in return, simply an amendment to the existing rules stating that in addition to a fully paid hotel room the employee had the option at their own discretion to share a hotel room in which case each employee would receive $50 as a cost savings measure. I presented this to the union management who immediately and steadfastly declared it highway robbery and demanded $100 per person. I explained that our average hotel room cost was around $150, so two hotel would cost $300. Offering $200 plus the cost of the hote room would place the total cost at $350 - more than the cost of two seperate hotel rooms. I opened the books. They refused to even present the option to the union. Net result? 20% of the union continues to share rooms, we pay them nothing, the other 80% have no idea this was even ever presented. Who wins?

And the examples like this are numerous - employees demanding free massages after every shift, another union complaining that their healthcare dues which were locked in the early 1970s are now approaching $10 per paycheck for family PPO coverage... In many ways I have found unions to be disconnected from reality and left the industry as a result. You can't change what no one wants to change.

I wanted to read this post but it's too long and likely long winded. Can you give me a TLDR version with highlights?

Wow. Must be management talking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't the workers who don't like their conditions go get a different/better job like anyone else would have to do? Oh right, because they already have it damn good and likely wouldn't find a better situation.

Unions are outdated and BS.

Does this apply to OP's spouse? Too bad nobody's looking out for them.

The current union model is outdated. Plenty of things about unions today really irk me. But it is not BS to strike if management decides to do away with promised benefits or working conditions. If a pension was offered to you, and you took that job instead of another job because of that pension, then it is BS for management to take that away without some serious negotiations.

It sucks for OP right now, but it also sucks if management treats employees like perpetual machines. I don't feel too bad for OP's SO right now. Like many major utilities the white collar workers often have to pitch in during emergencies and strikes, and that is usually made very clear up front.

What's BS for everyone -- white- and blue-collar workers -- is when management makes everything an emergency and everyone's working around the clock, at full steam, all year round. It is isn't sustainable, certainly not productive and that effects everyone's bottom line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the lack of sympathy towards Verizon is because customers hate them so much too. Prices are outrageous compared to what other countries are paying for better internet.

+1
Their customer service is the worst. After many years paying Verizon online, my account became deactivated and they could not fix it. I threw in the towel and just mail in my payment every month. It's like talking to government workers... very slow and not helpful.

They are raising my rate when my contract ends. Good time to say adios. Also, I hate the way they organize the channels and how you can never save the favorites your way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they just fire the striking employees and hire new ones?

There is a legal right to strike in most cases:

https://www.nlrb.gov/strikes

The Verizon strike is legal. Firing striking workers is bad for all concerned which is why it is (usually) prohibited.

(When reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, that was because federal employees are prohibited from striking).

I don't see how it's bad. They're not doing their jobs, why should they be protected? So strange.

And yes, I was assaulted for crossing a picket line as a 20 year old intern, so I have personal issues with this whole thing. Unions are violent and protect slackers who don't want to work.

May I suggest reading about the early unions to learn why these protections are needed.d

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they just fire the striking employees and hire new ones?

There is a legal right to strike in most cases:

https://www.nlrb.gov/strikes

The Verizon strike is legal. Firing striking workers is bad for all concerned which is why it is (usually) prohibited.

(When reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, that was because federal employees are prohibited from striking).

I don't see how it's bad. They're not doing their jobs, why should they be protected? So strange.

And yes, I was assaulted for crossing a picket line as a 20 year old intern, so I have personal issues with this whole thing. Unions are violent and protect slackers who don't want to work.

Because if you don't protect the only thing they can do then you don't protect collective action. I mean, we're not about to go wildcat here are we?

So you think it's ok to assault a young woman who wants to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the lack of sympathy towards Verizon is because customers hate them so much too. Prices are outrageous compared to what other countries are paying for better internet.

+1
Their customer service is the worst. After many years paying Verizon online, my account became deactivated and they could not fix it. I threw in the towel and just mail in my payment every month. It's like talking to government workers... very slow and not helpful.

They are raising my rate when my contract ends. Good time to say adios. Also, I hate the way they organize the channels and how you can never save the favorites your way.

Customer service centers at Verizon for fios, home phone, and dsl are unionized.