Verizon Workers Strike In East Village

The reason lower and middle management were eliminated is because of greed. They weren't dead wood. They were hard working individuals dedicated and willing to do everything possible to get the job done right. They were first stripped of benefits, then holidays then asked to work even harder with much longer hours without compensation. It was not because they weren't needed, it was the greed of higher management to seperate them from the payroll. The load was to be taken up by remaining managers. Which simply could not be done without sacrifices, Sacrifice to customer service. This is not said by me to enforce my point of view but merely a statement of fact. I live and breathe with fellow employees in the trenches every day. I could go on and on with examples of how customers suffer but that is not the point. The point is that the bean counters counted the beans and decided they wanted more beans. Customer care, customer installation and maintenance went down the tubes but that seems to matter not. Greed motivated them in making decisions and the customer suffers. What was done to middle and lower management was dispicable. But they had no protection but a class action suit, which won back some jobs. Capitalism works within certain parameters. Customers drive the individual business. I don't know if any individual is worth millions in salary, but who is paying his salary? It is not his company, it is our company collectively. They did it to management now they want to do it to craft. Sure they can do it, but remember the customer, he will vote with his dollars. That means no more beans to count. We all lose. We just want a fair contract. It is not just that I want my job and that is all. The work is there. Wireless doesn't magically appear at your cell phone.  They did it to middle and lower management because they could. It was a failed directive. We see it, we live it.  

The reason lower and middle management were eliminated is because there were no longer a need for their input. They simply did not produce. Workers that do not produce have a negative impact on earnings, and therefore should be terminated. That is how capitalism works. In order for a company to stay, not only competitive, but profitable, it must have the freedom the run that company however it sees fit. Even if that means layoffs. I understand that union workers feel that they are entitled  to a job, but that is not reality. You mention over and over that "Mr executive" guy earns millions in pay and benefits and perks and what not. You (you especially) and I benefit enormously from that, and so does our country as a whole. The land-line division is in decline and that  means it will take fewer trained workers to do that job. It is not in their best interest to keep you hired (at their expense) simply because you NEED your job.

It is an enormous benefit to work overtime for overtime pay. That is just one thing the company wants to negate. Overtime pay for overtime work. One concession of one hundred proposed by the company.  It is that mindset, that should boggle the average "working man". Find fault with that, yes I do. Union guy does contribute his fair share. Does executive guy? Executive guy votes himself millions in a raise just before going to contract talks denying a fair contract to union represented workers. Boggles the average working man. I didn't imply that people doing the same work in the private sector make more money. I simply stated that we had to make concessions along the way. We didn't get here by the good graces of executive guy, but by union negotiated contracts over 60 years. I know plenty of people who lost there jobs. They are called middle and lower management. Poor souls weren't union and were at the good will of upper managment. Makes one think, doesn't it?

Thank you for your response.It is the right of the company to choose to hire, or not hire someone based on that employers judgment. However, it seems to me to be of enormous benefit to the employees that CHOOSE to work overtime, and earn an reported $91,000.00 a year. Though judging by your post, you feel that the company is taking advantage of its employees by given them the option to work overtime. It is that mindset, that boggles the average working man. Here is a company that pays well, gives great benefits, numerous days off and the ability to earn significantly more money through overtime and you can still manage to find fault with the company. Most working Americans, do not have those perks and they cant understand why the union-guy refuses to contribute his fair share like everyone else. The interesting thing is, is that the unions are not flexible to change. Its all or nothing. As a result many union members have lost their well paying union jobs because of that. So i guess if you strike long enough, you will strike yourselves out the door. On one final note, you mentioned that people in the union accept good benefits for lower pay, as to imply that people doing the same work in the private sector make more money. Please tell me whom these private sector phone company's are. I know a number a of people that have lost their jobs and they would love the opportunity to make more money than you guys do.

Verizon took out an ad saying some employees made $91,000.00 a year with overtime. Read between the lines, the company paid a technician this amount including overtime because they don't want to hire another tech to do the extra work. If they could have done the extra work outside the country they would have done that. Where does that leave you. Where does that leave me. We are you.

We are you. Just you, who now or in the past stood up for what you needed over 60 years of labor contracts. We make the money for the skilled work we do. We do not make millions of dollars as do some managers. We were hired, we negotiated for a fair salary with benefits such as medical but the salary part was always behind what others doing equal work would get. Our company is profitable because highly skilled workers work harder each day. This strike represents workers across this entire country. Look at it this way, company "V" makes billions each year in net profits, company "V" C.E.O. just gave himself a few MILLION DOLLAR raise, then company "V" wants 100 givebacks from hard working union members. You are right if you tell me we are not you, if you are one of them. We are proud hard working American labor striking for a fair contract, that is all. 

A desire for basic rights and dignity is not a "sense of entitlement." The real entitled ones are the CEOs who think it is acceptable to take advantage of every tax loophole in order to get our of their obligations to support our country. Maybe you should direct your anger toward the people with actual power and influence who outsourced all our jobs and destroyed our economy, rather than regular people who are standing up for themselves.

I beg to differ. Verizon hires me, and I work at my job. My job. Pride of ownership. That is the whole point. You feel they allow me my job. I've earned the right, by hard work and 32 years of dedicated service to call this by right, my job. No entitlement. I've more than paid my share when I accepted less pay for certain benefits. I've more than paid my share when I accepted less pay and less benefits to get some basic rights, for instance to keep the work in our country. Management also have paid their dues. Where would you draw the line. Thank you sir may I have another? I'm very much awake. Take the time to read an unbiased report on some of our nations labor conflicts, e.g. The Coal Strike of 1902 – Turning Point inU.S. Policy. "What’s past is prologue" We just want a fair contract. Simple isn't it.